If you have come this far it is because you are interested in the theme power This article wants to talk about it with you. Here we will bring you the concept implicit in this word, some views on it, as well as the benefits and dangers of having it.

Table of Contents

• What is power?
  • In the dictionary
  • Concept
• Good or bad?
  • Hazards
  • Benefits
  • In conclusion

What is power?

Understanding what something is is sometimes very complex. We can think of power This is how we can build up knowledge about the topics we are interested in, isn't it?

In the dictionary

Let's start with the definition that the dictionary gives us. First of all, the word power originates from the Latin word possum.potes.potùi.posse/potēre In addition, it can be a transitive and intransitive verb, direct or indirect, and also a masculine noun.

Among its definitions we see:

• It is a authorization or capacity to solve;
• It is to have authority ;
• Action govern a country, a nation, or a society;
• It is the ability to perform certain things;
• Absolute superiority used for the purpose of directing or managing something;
• To have possession of something, that is, the action of possessing something;
• Attribute or ability to perform something;
• Attribute of being efficient ;
• Meaning strength, energy, vitality and power .

Among the synonyms are: command, government, faculty, ability possession, mandate, aptitude, power .

Concept

Regarding the concept, we can say that it is the the right to command, act, or deliberate about something . É exercise authority, sovereignty, influence, power over someone or something It is also the ability to do something, as we have seen.

And, since the dawn of mankind, relationships between people have been based on who is powerful and who is not. In other words They are based on a monopoly, be it economic, military, business, among others.

This relationship between people is established when one party depends on the will of the other. That is, in some way, the parts are not independent of each other.

It is not necessarily a complete dependency; it can be in one, or several areas. And it doesn't just happen in small relationships, but also in groups, of groups under other groups, and so on. The more dependence on one, the more powerful another is on that one.

In addition, we can think of being powerful from a philosophical and sociological point of view. In the following we will talk a little about these two points of view:

In sociology

Within sociology this concept is defined as the ability to impose your will on others Regardless of whether they resist, from the moment a space is opened up and a prominent, elevated position is installed, we have a case of power .

O power It can be of various types, such as social, economic, and military. Among the thinkers who have discussed the subject we can highlight Pierre Bourdieu and Max Weber.

Pierre Bourdieu was concerned with the power symbolic That is, something invisible that is exercised within a sphere of complicity On the other hand, Max Weber considered the power an probability that a given group will obey a given command.

O power It can be exercised in different groups and in different areas. In all cases it will imply something, either good or bad, in society.

In philosophy

Within political philosophy there are approaches from the different perspectives of Hobbes, Arendt, and Michel Foucault. Let's talk a little about the perspective of each of these thinkers:

Hannah Arendt's perspective is that to be powerful is implied, necessarily, the existence of two or more people. That is, it always occurs in a relational way. Considering this, politics presupposes the legitimization of the powerful, that is, the rulers must be in agreement with the relationship that this entails .

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According to her, this is because politics is opposed to the natural world. This happens because the imposition of power by brute force is replaced by reason. That is, it is not through violence that the powerful reaches that position. And when you lose authority , violence has a voice.

To understand Thomas Hobbes' perspective it is interesting to quote him: " the organization of the state and its powers coincides with a social contract which replaces the state of Nature in which physical force and the law of the Stronger dominated ".

When there is power in everyone's hands, in reality, this power is non-existent. This is because, at the limit, power is exercised by the strongest that the rule of law.

As for Foucault, power is less a property than a strategy Consequently, its effects are not attributed to an appropriation by something, someone.

In fact, power would be attributed to dispositions, tactics, functionings. Power would be exercised and not possessed. And this would not be a privilege of the dominant class, but the result of strategic positions.

Good or bad?

It is amazing that when looking about power on the internet we find the theme related to bad things. Have you noticed this too?

We don't know exactly the reason for this. However, it is not hard to see that some people when they have power do morally dubious things. This is likely to interfere with how people view power .

In this last topic, we want to talk about the dangers of power but also about its benefits.

Hazards

The centralization of power in the hands of a few leads the great majority, who are dominated, to dissatisfaction. Moreover, this dissatisfaction can be accompanied by a lack of prospects for change. In other words, there is such a great dependency between the parties that the other feels unable to get out of the situation.

Some sociologists, like Crozier and Friedberg, say that Power always has an offensive aspect. And that having power is to take advantage of opportunities to improve the situation.

For example, one type of power that almost always exists in companies is the coercive power The basis of this power is the capacity for punishment.

In this way, He who does not want to be punished will obey. Take, for example, cases in which the employee submits to certain activities in order not to be punished. This generates a conflicting relationship. Consequently, the quality of the relationship is affected at the hierarchical levels.

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Also, some people, when they become powerful, forget about themselves. It is not uncommon to see that when a person reaches power Whether economic or otherwise, it forgets its origins. Or even, She thinks she can get others to do anything she wants.

This distancing from its fundamental essence makes the person become empty and in need of being more powerful. It is a vicious cycle.

In a way, The dependence that being powerful generates is felt by all parties. After all, the one who is subordinate needs the other to dominate him and the one who dominates needs to dominate. However, this domination only occurs through power .

Benefits

If we consider that in every relationship there is a certain power Consequently, we cannot believe that having it only has bad sides. To talk about its benefits, we thought it would be interesting to mention the "tactics of power ".

These tactics are influence practices exercised to achieve a goal. These are tools used by company managers in order to influence their subordinates or superiors for the benefit of the organization. They can also be used in government, political parties, family settings, and other areas.

A classic study by Kipnis, Schmidt, Swaffin-Smith and Wilkinson (1934) identified seven most representative tactics in organizations.

These tactics represent how employees influence others. Also, what are the determining factors in choosing a specific tactic It should be noted that all tactics can be used in a good or bad way, i.e. they can create discomfort and an offensive environment.

However, caution and respect is needed with the other person. In this way, it is possible to help, guide, and lead towards a goal.

In conclusion

We live in a social relationship and it is impossible to get rid of situations of power Leaders don't have to be cruel and their subordinates don't have to bow their heads and submit to inhumane situations. Caution and care are needed.

We need to recognize when a situation is suffocating and humiliating. Only then can we get out of it and not replicate it. O power doing what you want is an example of power And even here, there is a power It is necessary to understand that, even if we do not force the other to live as we do, we demand that he or she accepts us.

Having power is a fine line, so it is very important to talk about it and analyze situations. Speaking of which, our online Clinical Psychoanalysis course can help you learn more about the topic if you are interested. Check it out!