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Single Idea 22850

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 1. Social Power ]

Full Idea

Power is at its most effective when it is least observable.

Gist of Idea

Hidden powers are the most effective

Source

Steven Lukes (Power: a Radical View (2nd ed) [2005], Intro)

Book Ref

Lukes,Steven: 'Power: a radical view' [Macmillan 2005], p.1

A Reaction

Kind of common sense, though his account has been very influential. We must be cautious about asserting the existence of powers which are massive but totally undetectable.

The 23 ideas with the same theme [ways in which states control their citizens]:

21132 Domination is probable obedience by some group of persons [Weber]
23831 The essence of power is illusory prestige [Weil]
23812 Force is what turns man into a thing, and ultimately into a corpse [Weil]
23866 In oppressive societies the scope of actual control is extended by a religion of power [Weil]
23857 People in power always try to increase their power [Weil]
7425 The aim is not to eliminate power relations, but to reduce domination [Foucault]
8991 Foucault can't accept that power is sometimes decent and benign [Foucault, by Scruton]
15040 Marxists denounced power as class domination, but never analysed its mechanics [Foucault]
15041 Power doesn't just repress, but entices us with pleasure, artefacts, knowledge and discourse [Foucault]
22850 Hidden powers are the most effective [Lukes]
22852 The pluralist view says that power is restrained by group rivalry [Lukes]
22854 Power is a capacity, which may never need to be exercised [Lukes]
22855 One-dimensionsal power is behaviour in observable conflicts of interests [Lukes]
22856 Political organisation brings some conflicts to the fore, and suppresses others [Lukes]
22860 The evidence for the exertion of power need not involve a grievance of the powerless [Lukes]
22857 The two-dimensional view of power recognises the importance of controlling the agenda [Lukes]
22859 Power can be exercised to determine a person's desires [Lukes]
22861 Power is affecting a person in a way contrary to their interests [Lukes]
22863 Power is the capacity of a social class to realise its interests [Lukes]
21133 Supreme power is getting people to have thoughts and desires chosen by you [Lukes]
23103 Power is meant to be confined to representatives, and subsequent delegation [Kekes]
23263 Politics is driven by power cliques [Grayling]
21135 There are eight different ways in which groups of people can be oppressed [Shorten, by PG]