PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND

GOVERNANCE
 Unit I
Basic Concepts of Politics and
Governance
 Lesson 3
Nature, Forms, and
Consequences of Power
 Learning Objectives
• To define power
• To identify the nature, types, and
consequences of power
• To explain the nature, dimensions, types,
and consequences of power
• To explain how power is exercised in
different situations
 What Is Power?
Power in society spans a
broad spectrum of
meaning that includes
force, authority, influence,
and most of the time,
coercion.
The Concept of Power in Society
Expressing
Power in in society,
society
powerand
takes
maybyrange
different
extension,
fromforms
the
simplest
social authoritative
from sciences,
of humanispower
interaction,
more tocomplicated
economic
such as
when
than that
power. parentsin tell
the their
natural
children
sciences
what
they
because
shouldit and is should
continuously
not do, to being
the
grandest,
molded by such the dynamic
as when
nature the of
government
society and the imposes
objectivepolicies
and subjective
for the
welfare
capacityofofits
man.
constituents.
 Four Major Types of Power
Productive
In their attemptPower
to classify and better understand power,
Structural
Institutional
Compulsory
political Power
scientists… Power
Power
 looks into the relative position of the
basically
the indirect
direct looks at
ways
control the
of in position
which
one actor
actors, the social production of their
Michael Barnett anand
of the
actor
Raymond the
Duvall
roles
affects
conditions of various
another
and
roles, and how and actors
(e.g.
actions theof in
use relation
of
another rules
the roles affect the to
or
each
theactors’
law other (e.g. coach
toperceptions
impose order) to player,
and actions boss
to worker, and captain to crew)
 focuses not on the direct structures
provided and accepted by each actor,
but on the discourse between the
actors
…created thein which ofpower
taxonomy is negotiated
power with four major types.
 Aristotle on Power
In his work titled Politics, he said that…
There are situations where
power in government is
corrupted by the personal and
selfish goals of individuals.
Because of these egoistic
goals, individuals pursue laws
and intervene with social
services to achieve personal
rather than communal gains.
 Final Note on Power

In studying politics, we must be aware and

accept the fact that power, as a central
concept, is dynamic and has different
forms, depending on who is imposing
power, and how that power is expressed.
 Analysis Guide
1. If you were to quantify power in political
science, what would your equation look like?
Explain your answer.
2. How will you use the different types of power
to affect the behavior of other people (e.g.,
your classmates or group mates during
debates, group projects, school programs)?
3. Power can corrupt an individual. How can a
person avoid being corrupted by power or
being abusive of power given to him/her?