Notes: Politics & Society - Power | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

 Page 1


 
Chapter 7 
Politics and Society 
Power 
•
Possession of control, authority or in?uence over others, a relationship in which an individual is able to 
exert in?uence over the mind and actions of others 
Max Weber 
•
Opportunity existing within a social relationship which permits one to carry out one’s will even against 
resistance and regardless of the basis on which opportunity rests 
Amos Hawley  
•
Every social act is an exercise of power, every social relationship is a power equation and every social 
group or a system is an organization of power 
Steven Lukes 
•
 Weber de?nition is narrow 
•3-D view of power 
?Three faces of power 
? Decision making 
?
Non decision making (by giving limited preferences to chose) 
? Shaping discussions (manipulating wishes and desires) 
Basis of Power 
•Wealth 
•
Status 
•
Knowledge 
•Charisma 
•
Force: Illegitimate (violence, coercion) 
•Authority: Legitimate (traditional, charisma, rational legal)  
Features of power 
•
Structural aspect of social reality 
•
Operates reciprocally but usually not equally reciprocally 
•Manifests itself in a relationship manner 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 2


 
Chapter 7 
Politics and Society 
Power 
•
Possession of control, authority or in?uence over others, a relationship in which an individual is able to 
exert in?uence over the mind and actions of others 
Max Weber 
•
Opportunity existing within a social relationship which permits one to carry out one’s will even against 
resistance and regardless of the basis on which opportunity rests 
Amos Hawley  
•
Every social act is an exercise of power, every social relationship is a power equation and every social 
group or a system is an organization of power 
Steven Lukes 
•
 Weber de?nition is narrow 
•3-D view of power 
?Three faces of power 
? Decision making 
?
Non decision making (by giving limited preferences to chose) 
? Shaping discussions (manipulating wishes and desires) 
Basis of Power 
•Wealth 
•
Status 
•
Knowledge 
•Charisma 
•
Force: Illegitimate (violence, coercion) 
•Authority: Legitimate (traditional, charisma, rational legal)  
Features of power 
•
Structural aspect of social reality 
•
Operates reciprocally but usually not equally reciprocally 
•Manifests itself in a relationship manner 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
•Appears as a process not a ?xed part of social structure 
•
Power in inherent in social strati?cation 
•
It becomes basis of social strati?cation ex CW Mills Theory 
Theories of Power 
Elite theory of power 
•Developed by Italian sociologists Vilferado Pareto and Gaetano Mosca 
•
Only minority has talent/intelligence/ability/ leadership to occupy positions of power 
•
Minority in?uence govt decisions and gains it dominant position beyond general elections (democracy is 
utopia) 
•
Elites hold power due to religious values 
•Hereditary or certain personal qualities 
1. Classical Elite Theories 
•
Power Elite (V . Pareto - circulation of elites) 
•Characteristics of Elite  
?Most strongest 
? Most energetic and  
?Most capable of good and evil 
•
Occupy higher stratum (Eco-wealthy, political-rulers, religion-most holy, art-most artistic, ethics-most 
virtuous) 
•
Higher stratum comprises of  
1. governing (ministers/secretaries)  
2. non-governing elites 
•
Society degenerates when elites occupy status due to ascription and not through achievement 
•Psychologically human actions consist of  
1. Residues (major motivations-6)  
2. Derivatives (elaboration of human action) 
•Elites are divided into  (T aken from Machiavelli’s anti thesis) 
1. Foxes: Foxes have vitality and imagination, prefer materialistic goals and strategy of emotional 
appeal to fraud; replace lions who lack manipulative skills 
2. Lions: Lions are conservative elites who have residue of persistence (faith in ideology, group 
loyalty) 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 3


 
Chapter 7 
Politics and Society 
Power 
•
Possession of control, authority or in?uence over others, a relationship in which an individual is able to 
exert in?uence over the mind and actions of others 
Max Weber 
•
Opportunity existing within a social relationship which permits one to carry out one’s will even against 
resistance and regardless of the basis on which opportunity rests 
Amos Hawley  
•
Every social act is an exercise of power, every social relationship is a power equation and every social 
group or a system is an organization of power 
Steven Lukes 
•
 Weber de?nition is narrow 
•3-D view of power 
?Three faces of power 
? Decision making 
?
Non decision making (by giving limited preferences to chose) 
? Shaping discussions (manipulating wishes and desires) 
Basis of Power 
•Wealth 
•
Status 
•
Knowledge 
•Charisma 
•
Force: Illegitimate (violence, coercion) 
•Authority: Legitimate (traditional, charisma, rational legal)  
Features of power 
•
Structural aspect of social reality 
•
Operates reciprocally but usually not equally reciprocally 
•Manifests itself in a relationship manner 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
•Appears as a process not a ?xed part of social structure 
•
Power in inherent in social strati?cation 
•
It becomes basis of social strati?cation ex CW Mills Theory 
Theories of Power 
Elite theory of power 
•Developed by Italian sociologists Vilferado Pareto and Gaetano Mosca 
•
Only minority has talent/intelligence/ability/ leadership to occupy positions of power 
•
Minority in?uence govt decisions and gains it dominant position beyond general elections (democracy is 
utopia) 
•
Elites hold power due to religious values 
•Hereditary or certain personal qualities 
1. Classical Elite Theories 
•
Power Elite (V . Pareto - circulation of elites) 
•Characteristics of Elite  
?Most strongest 
? Most energetic and  
?Most capable of good and evil 
•
Occupy higher stratum (Eco-wealthy, political-rulers, religion-most holy, art-most artistic, ethics-most 
virtuous) 
•
Higher stratum comprises of  
1. governing (ministers/secretaries)  
2. non-governing elites 
•
Society degenerates when elites occupy status due to ascription and not through achievement 
•Psychologically human actions consist of  
1. Residues (major motivations-6)  
2. Derivatives (elaboration of human action) 
•Elites are divided into  (T aken from Machiavelli’s anti thesis) 
1. Foxes: Foxes have vitality and imagination, prefer materialistic goals and strategy of emotional 
appeal to fraud; replace lions who lack manipulative skills 
2. Lions: Lions are conservative elites who have residue of persistence (faith in ideology, group 
loyalty) 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Criticism of Classical Elite Theory 
•No method of measuring qualities, 
•
T. Parsons(residues change with change in society) 
•Difference between foxes and lions is nothing but style of rule 
•
Pareto used only 2 residues out of 6? 2. Class Theory of Power (G. Mosca) 
•
Book ‘ruling class’ 
•
Emphasised sociological and personal characteristics of elites 
•Elite rule is universal necessity and inevitability 
•
Societies divided in two groups-ruling and ruled 
?Ruling class is divided into elites (political power, property)   
?Sub elites (technocrats, managers, civil servants) 
•
Dominant interest re?ected in ruling class and they dominate structures and values 
•He differs from Pareto (elites are restrained by various social factors, ruled are not powerless in 
democracy)? 3. Robert Michels (Iron law of Oligarchy) 
•
Oligarchy inevitable within democracy as it is part of technical and tactical necessity 
•Leadership class comes to dominate power structure; it controls access to info, centralise the power with 
little accountability 
•
Any democratic attempt fails because leadership class rewards loyalty 
•Elites have three principles which help in bureaucratic structure (need and specialization, importance of 
psychological attributes, utilizations of facilities by old elites)? 4. CW MILLS: book ‘The Power Elite’ 
•
Mills explained elite rule in Institutional rather than Psychological terms. 
•Two kinds of elites 
?Segmental: Arts/music and science 
?Strategic: Those who govern 
•Three institutions yield power 
?Major corporations, 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 4


 
Chapter 7 
Politics and Society 
Power 
•
Possession of control, authority or in?uence over others, a relationship in which an individual is able to 
exert in?uence over the mind and actions of others 
Max Weber 
•
Opportunity existing within a social relationship which permits one to carry out one’s will even against 
resistance and regardless of the basis on which opportunity rests 
Amos Hawley  
•
Every social act is an exercise of power, every social relationship is a power equation and every social 
group or a system is an organization of power 
Steven Lukes 
•
 Weber de?nition is narrow 
•3-D view of power 
?Three faces of power 
? Decision making 
?
Non decision making (by giving limited preferences to chose) 
? Shaping discussions (manipulating wishes and desires) 
Basis of Power 
•Wealth 
•
Status 
•
Knowledge 
•Charisma 
•
Force: Illegitimate (violence, coercion) 
•Authority: Legitimate (traditional, charisma, rational legal)  
Features of power 
•
Structural aspect of social reality 
•
Operates reciprocally but usually not equally reciprocally 
•Manifests itself in a relationship manner 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
•Appears as a process not a ?xed part of social structure 
•
Power in inherent in social strati?cation 
•
It becomes basis of social strati?cation ex CW Mills Theory 
Theories of Power 
Elite theory of power 
•Developed by Italian sociologists Vilferado Pareto and Gaetano Mosca 
•
Only minority has talent/intelligence/ability/ leadership to occupy positions of power 
•
Minority in?uence govt decisions and gains it dominant position beyond general elections (democracy is 
utopia) 
•
Elites hold power due to religious values 
•Hereditary or certain personal qualities 
1. Classical Elite Theories 
•
Power Elite (V . Pareto - circulation of elites) 
•Characteristics of Elite  
?Most strongest 
? Most energetic and  
?Most capable of good and evil 
•
Occupy higher stratum (Eco-wealthy, political-rulers, religion-most holy, art-most artistic, ethics-most 
virtuous) 
•
Higher stratum comprises of  
1. governing (ministers/secretaries)  
2. non-governing elites 
•
Society degenerates when elites occupy status due to ascription and not through achievement 
•Psychologically human actions consist of  
1. Residues (major motivations-6)  
2. Derivatives (elaboration of human action) 
•Elites are divided into  (T aken from Machiavelli’s anti thesis) 
1. Foxes: Foxes have vitality and imagination, prefer materialistic goals and strategy of emotional 
appeal to fraud; replace lions who lack manipulative skills 
2. Lions: Lions are conservative elites who have residue of persistence (faith in ideology, group 
loyalty) 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Criticism of Classical Elite Theory 
•No method of measuring qualities, 
•
T. Parsons(residues change with change in society) 
•Difference between foxes and lions is nothing but style of rule 
•
Pareto used only 2 residues out of 6? 2. Class Theory of Power (G. Mosca) 
•
Book ‘ruling class’ 
•
Emphasised sociological and personal characteristics of elites 
•Elite rule is universal necessity and inevitability 
•
Societies divided in two groups-ruling and ruled 
?Ruling class is divided into elites (political power, property)   
?Sub elites (technocrats, managers, civil servants) 
•
Dominant interest re?ected in ruling class and they dominate structures and values 
•He differs from Pareto (elites are restrained by various social factors, ruled are not powerless in 
democracy)? 3. Robert Michels (Iron law of Oligarchy) 
•
Oligarchy inevitable within democracy as it is part of technical and tactical necessity 
•Leadership class comes to dominate power structure; it controls access to info, centralise the power with 
little accountability 
•
Any democratic attempt fails because leadership class rewards loyalty 
•Elites have three principles which help in bureaucratic structure (need and specialization, importance of 
psychological attributes, utilizations of facilities by old elites)? 4. CW MILLS: book ‘The Power Elite’ 
•
Mills explained elite rule in Institutional rather than Psychological terms. 
•Two kinds of elites 
?Segmental: Arts/music and science 
?Strategic: Those who govern 
•Three institutions yield power 
?Major corporations, 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
?Federal govt 
?Military 
•
Elites have same lifestyle, family relationship and perpetuate rules through self recruitment 
•Command Posts: Key pivotal positions in institutions 
?Elites occupy these 
•However, elites have no moral/psychological superiority. Elite rule is not inevitable 
?Masses are not incompetent. They are kept in state of ignorance and powerlessness 
5. James Burnham: Book ‘The Managerial Revolution’ 
•All the power is in hands of managers (separation of operation and control), capitalism is on decline. 
Managers are new elites 
6. TB Bottomore: Book ‘The Elites and Society’ 
•Elites are different in industrial and developing world 
•
Examined roles of elites in relation to class and class structure  
•
Criticised democratic and socialistic conception of elites 
•Society is moving towards egalitarianism and multiple elites are present in developing world 
?Dynastic 
?Middle class 
?Revolutionary intellectuals 
?Colonial administrators 
?Nationalist leaders 
7. Critique of Elite theories  
•
Power of public opinion is ignored 
•Karl Mannheim in his book ‘ideology and Utopia’ says that elites are different from totalitarians. In 
democracy, people remove leaders not working according to their wishes 
•Power changes moment to moment and issue to issue 
•
David Riesman rejected Mills theory and says that there is so much diversity in US in terms of thoughts 
and interests 
•Altruistic motives do exist ex people do charity not to gain power 
•
Modern society is complex and has various power centres 
•Robert Dahl – “Who Governs” – Found in New Haven, Connecticut that power is dispersed. Arnold 
Rose recon?rmed the ?ndings 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 5


 
Chapter 7 
Politics and Society 
Power 
•
Possession of control, authority or in?uence over others, a relationship in which an individual is able to 
exert in?uence over the mind and actions of others 
Max Weber 
•
Opportunity existing within a social relationship which permits one to carry out one’s will even against 
resistance and regardless of the basis on which opportunity rests 
Amos Hawley  
•
Every social act is an exercise of power, every social relationship is a power equation and every social 
group or a system is an organization of power 
Steven Lukes 
•
 Weber de?nition is narrow 
•3-D view of power 
?Three faces of power 
? Decision making 
?
Non decision making (by giving limited preferences to chose) 
? Shaping discussions (manipulating wishes and desires) 
Basis of Power 
•Wealth 
•
Status 
•
Knowledge 
•Charisma 
•
Force: Illegitimate (violence, coercion) 
•Authority: Legitimate (traditional, charisma, rational legal)  
Features of power 
•
Structural aspect of social reality 
•
Operates reciprocally but usually not equally reciprocally 
•Manifests itself in a relationship manner 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
•Appears as a process not a ?xed part of social structure 
•
Power in inherent in social strati?cation 
•
It becomes basis of social strati?cation ex CW Mills Theory 
Theories of Power 
Elite theory of power 
•Developed by Italian sociologists Vilferado Pareto and Gaetano Mosca 
•
Only minority has talent/intelligence/ability/ leadership to occupy positions of power 
•
Minority in?uence govt decisions and gains it dominant position beyond general elections (democracy is 
utopia) 
•
Elites hold power due to religious values 
•Hereditary or certain personal qualities 
1. Classical Elite Theories 
•
Power Elite (V . Pareto - circulation of elites) 
•Characteristics of Elite  
?Most strongest 
? Most energetic and  
?Most capable of good and evil 
•
Occupy higher stratum (Eco-wealthy, political-rulers, religion-most holy, art-most artistic, ethics-most 
virtuous) 
•
Higher stratum comprises of  
1. governing (ministers/secretaries)  
2. non-governing elites 
•
Society degenerates when elites occupy status due to ascription and not through achievement 
•Psychologically human actions consist of  
1. Residues (major motivations-6)  
2. Derivatives (elaboration of human action) 
•Elites are divided into  (T aken from Machiavelli’s anti thesis) 
1. Foxes: Foxes have vitality and imagination, prefer materialistic goals and strategy of emotional 
appeal to fraud; replace lions who lack manipulative skills 
2. Lions: Lions are conservative elites who have residue of persistence (faith in ideology, group 
loyalty) 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Criticism of Classical Elite Theory 
•No method of measuring qualities, 
•
T. Parsons(residues change with change in society) 
•Difference between foxes and lions is nothing but style of rule 
•
Pareto used only 2 residues out of 6? 2. Class Theory of Power (G. Mosca) 
•
Book ‘ruling class’ 
•
Emphasised sociological and personal characteristics of elites 
•Elite rule is universal necessity and inevitability 
•
Societies divided in two groups-ruling and ruled 
?Ruling class is divided into elites (political power, property)   
?Sub elites (technocrats, managers, civil servants) 
•
Dominant interest re?ected in ruling class and they dominate structures and values 
•He differs from Pareto (elites are restrained by various social factors, ruled are not powerless in 
democracy)? 3. Robert Michels (Iron law of Oligarchy) 
•
Oligarchy inevitable within democracy as it is part of technical and tactical necessity 
•Leadership class comes to dominate power structure; it controls access to info, centralise the power with 
little accountability 
•
Any democratic attempt fails because leadership class rewards loyalty 
•Elites have three principles which help in bureaucratic structure (need and specialization, importance of 
psychological attributes, utilizations of facilities by old elites)? 4. CW MILLS: book ‘The Power Elite’ 
•
Mills explained elite rule in Institutional rather than Psychological terms. 
•Two kinds of elites 
?Segmental: Arts/music and science 
?Strategic: Those who govern 
•Three institutions yield power 
?Major corporations, 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
?Federal govt 
?Military 
•
Elites have same lifestyle, family relationship and perpetuate rules through self recruitment 
•Command Posts: Key pivotal positions in institutions 
?Elites occupy these 
•However, elites have no moral/psychological superiority. Elite rule is not inevitable 
?Masses are not incompetent. They are kept in state of ignorance and powerlessness 
5. James Burnham: Book ‘The Managerial Revolution’ 
•All the power is in hands of managers (separation of operation and control), capitalism is on decline. 
Managers are new elites 
6. TB Bottomore: Book ‘The Elites and Society’ 
•Elites are different in industrial and developing world 
•
Examined roles of elites in relation to class and class structure  
•
Criticised democratic and socialistic conception of elites 
•Society is moving towards egalitarianism and multiple elites are present in developing world 
?Dynastic 
?Middle class 
?Revolutionary intellectuals 
?Colonial administrators 
?Nationalist leaders 
7. Critique of Elite theories  
•
Power of public opinion is ignored 
•Karl Mannheim in his book ‘ideology and Utopia’ says that elites are different from totalitarians. In 
democracy, people remove leaders not working according to their wishes 
•Power changes moment to moment and issue to issue 
•
David Riesman rejected Mills theory and says that there is so much diversity in US in terms of thoughts 
and interests 
•Altruistic motives do exist ex people do charity not to gain power 
•
Modern society is complex and has various power centres 
•Robert Dahl – “Who Governs” – Found in New Haven, Connecticut that power is dispersed. Arnold 
Rose recon?rmed the ?ndings 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Pluralist Theory Of Power 
•
Based on functionalism (Parsons) and classical pluralism with emphasis on equilibrium, stability and 
gradual change) society is decentralized 
•
Power is widely shared/diffused and fragmented and derived from multiple resources 
•
Diverse group with conflicting interests such that none play dominant role 
•
Natural balance of power is preserved through bargaining and compromise 
•
Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy becomes dysfunctional if dominated by one interest. State is 
‘honest broker’ 
•
Neil Smelser: Strain theory 
•
T Parsons (Variable Sum): Criticized Weber for constant sum of power. Power can decrease and 
increase 
?For ex modernity has raised lifestyle of all. It is structural feature of society and a generalized 
facility or resource 
?It is capacity to mobilize resources for attainment of goals 
?Value consensus, goals are shared and power is used to further collective goals 
Parsonian Conception of Authority 
•
Cooperation requires organization and direction which necessitate position of command 
•
Western democracies are ‘deposit’ of power and people can withdraw deposit in next elections 
Max Weber (zero-sum)  
?Aspect of social relationship and present in social situation; fixed amount- somebody gain is 
somebody loss 
?Differs from situation to situation 
? Three ideal types – Charismatic, Traditional and Rational-Legal 
Critique 
•
Concentration on first face (Steven Lukes) 
•
Not all interest groups have equal power (ex refugees) 
•
Safe decisions are taken in disguise 
Conflict theories 
Marxian 
•
Haves (owners of production) have power like elites. Coercive power but accepted due to false 
consciousness 
•
In communist manifesto, oppression of one class by other is political powe 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!