Power and authority

Question 1

Who believed that power was the ‘key to political science’?

Answer 1

Max Weber

Question 2

What is the classical definition of power?

Answer 2

• Ability of actor to achieve particular outcome

Question 3

What are the problems with the classical defintion of power?

Answer 3

• Effects may be incidental
• Power can have unintended effects
• Context is important (power is provisional, conditional and relative)
• Power can be latent (easy to measure when exercised, not when it’s not being used - think volcano)

Question 4

What are the three faces of power?

Answer 4

• Decision-making (overt ∧ directly observable)
• Agenda-setting (ability to keep items off political/voting agenda)
• Preference shaping (structural ideas influence how ∧ if we can think about things)

Question 4

What are the theoretical perspectives on power?

Answer 4

• Elite theory
• Pluralism
• Marxism

Question 5

How does elite theory work, in terms of studying power?

Answer 5

• Power is concentrated in an elite
• Elites are drawn from a narrow strate
• Elites circulate

Question 6

How is elite theory split?

Answer 6

• Classical
• Modern

Question 7

How does classical elite theory work, in terms of studying power?

Answer 7

Rule of the few due to some innate qualities.

Question 8

What are the critiques of classical elite theory?

Answer 8

• Methodological individualism (overemphasis on the role of individuals)
• Lack of empirical evidence (just assumed an elite exists)

Question 9

How does modern elite theory work, in terms of studying power?

Answer 9

Power derived from structural position in society.

Formal authority vs. real (economic) power.
Econ. power is behind the scenes (i.e. agenda setting/preference-shaping)

Question 10

What are the critiques of modern elite theory?

Answer 10

• Accuracy - where are the boundaries? Is reputation an accurate indicator of power?
• How to actually study an elite?
• Non-falsifiable (i.e. infinite regress) - just because you can’t identify elites, doesn’t mean they are not there

Question 11

How does pluralism work, in terms of studying power?

Answer 11

• Power dispersed throughout society
• Politics is competitive (different IGs)
• Policy is the outcome of competitive processes

Focus on directly observable power.

Question 12

How did pluralism evolve?

Answer 12

To neo-pluralism

Question 13

How do neo-pluralists differ to pluralists?

Answer 13

Take structure/nuance more into account.

• Structural power of business
• Closed networks
• Elite pluralism (i.e. no single elite)

Question 14

What are the critiques of neo-pluralism?

Answer 14

• Circular reasoning (how are decisions made? -> interests of strongest groups. Who are the strongest groups? -> those in whose interests decisions are made)
• Little recognition of structure beyond the power of business

Question 15

What do Marxists think is the structural power?

Answer 15

Economic system.