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==Merriam Webster==

==Merriam Webster==

===Etymology===

===Etymology===

Middle English, from Anglo-French poer, pouer, from poer to be able, from Vulgar Latin *potēre, alteration of ==Latin posse — more at potent

Middle English, from Anglo-French poer, pouer, from poer to be able, from Vulgar Latin *potēre, alteration of [[Latin]] posse  

*13th century

13th century

===Definition===

===Definition===

1 a (1): ability to act or produce an effect (2): ability to get extra-base hits (3): capacity for being acted upon or undergoing an effect b: legal or official authority, capacity, or right2 a: possession of control, authority, or influence over others b: one having such power; specifically : a sovereign state c: a controlling group : establishment —often used in the phrase the powers that be darchaic : a force of armed men echiefly dialect : a large number or quantity3 a: physical might b: mental or moral efficacy c: political control or influence4plural : an order of angels — see celestial hierarchy5 a: the number of times as indicated by an exponent that a number occurs as a factor in a product <5 to the third power is 125>; also : the product itself <8 is a power of 2> b: cardinal number 26 a: a source or means of supplying energy; especially : electricity b: motive power c: the time rate at which work is done or energy emitted or transferred7: magnification 2b8: scope 39: the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis in a statistical test when a particular alternative hypothesis happens to be true

*1 a (1) : ability to [[act]] or produce an effect  

:(2) : ability to get extra-base hits  

:(3) : capacity for [[being]] acted upon or undergoing an effect  

:b : [[legal]] or official [[authority]], capacity, or right

*2 a : possession of control, authority, or influence over others  

:b : one having such power; specifically : a [[sovereign]] [[state]]

:c : a controlling group : establishment —often used in the phrase the powers that be  

:d archaic : a force of armed men  

:e chiefly dialect : a large number or [[quantity]]

*3 a : [[physical]] might  

:b : mental or [[moral]] efficacy  

:c : [[political]] control or influence

*4 plural : an order of [[angels]] — see [[celestial]] [[hierarchy]]

*5 a : the number of times as indicated by an exponent that a number occurs as a factor in a product <5 to the third power is 125>; also : the product itself <8 is a power of 2>  

:b : cardinal number 2

*6 a : a [[source]] or means of supplying [[energy]]; especially : electricity  

:b : [[motive]] power  

:c : the [[time]] rate at which work is done or [[energy]] emitted or transferred

*7 : magnification 2b

*8 : 1scope 3

*9 : the [[probability]] of rejecting the null [[hypothesis]] in a [[statistical]] test when a particular alternative hypothesis happens to be true

==Wikipedia==

==Wikipedia==

===Political Power===

===Political Power===

Political scientists have frequently defined power as "the ability to influence the behaviour of others" with or without resistance.   

Political scientists have frequently defined power as "the ability to influence the behaviour of others" with or without resistance.   

 

 

For analytical reasons, I.C. MacMillan<ref>I.C. MacMillan (1978) Strategy Formulation: political concepts, St Paul, MN, West Publishing;</ref> separates the concepts ''power'' {{Quote|''Power is the capacity to restructure actual situations.''|I.C. Macmillan}} and influence {{Quote|''Influence is the capacity to control and modify the perceptions of others.''|I.C. Macmillan}}

For analytical reasons, I.C. MacMillan (1978) Strategy Formulation: political concepts, St Paul, MN, West Publishing; separates the concepts ''power'' (''Power is the capacity to restructure actual situations.'' and influence is the capacity to control and modify the perceptions of others.'', I.C. Macmillan

=== Separation of powers ===

=== Separation of powers ===

A radical alternative view of the source of political power follows the formula: information plus authority permits the exercise of power.  Political power is intimately related to information.  Sir Francis Bacon's statement: "Nam et ipsa [[scientia potentia est]]" for knowledge itself is power, assumed authority as given. Many will know that unless someone with authority heeds, there is no political power.  The [[kingmaker]] is not the king.

A radical alternative view of the source of political power follows the formula: information plus authority permits the exercise of power.  Political power is intimately related to information.  Sir Francis Bacon's statement: "Nam et ipsa [[scientia potentia est]]" for knowledge itself is power, assumed authority as given. Many will know that unless someone with authority heeds, there is no political power.  The [[kingmaker]] is not the king.

It is said democracy is the best method of informing those entrusted with authority.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} They are best able to use authority without ignorance to maximize political power.  Those who exercise authority in ignorance are not powerful, because they do not realize their intentions and have little control over the effects of using their authority.  

It is said democracy is the best method of informing those entrusted with authority. They are best able to use authority without ignorance to maximize political power.  Those who exercise authority in ignorance are not powerful, because they do not realize their intentions and have little control over the effects of using their authority.  

[[Post-modernism]] has debated over how to define political power.  Perhaps, the best known definition comes from the late [[Michel Foucault]], whose work in ''[[Discipline and Punish]]'' (and other writings) conveys a view of power that is organic within society.  This view holds that political power is more subtle and is part of a series of societal controls and 'normalizing' influences through historical institutions and definitions of normal vs. abnormal. Foucault once characterized power as "an action over actions" (''une action sur des actions''), arguing that power was essentially ''a relation'' between several dots, in continuous transformation as in [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]'s philosophy. His view of power lent credence to the view that power in human society was part of a training process in which everyone, from a [[prime minister]] to a homeless person, played their role within the power structure of society. [[Jürgen Habermas]] opposed himself to Foucault's conception of [[discourse]] as a battlefield for power relations, arguing that it should be possible to achieve [[consensus]] on the fundamentals rules of discourse, in order to establish a transparent and democratic [[dialogue]]. Thenceforth, he argued against Foucault and [[Louis Althusser]] that power was not immanent to discourse, and that philosophy could be completely distinguished from [[ideology]].

[[Post-modernism]] has debated over how to define political power.  Perhaps, the best known definition comes from the late [[Michel Foucault]], whose work in ''[[Discipline and Punish]]'' (and other writings) conveys a view of power that is organic within society.  This view holds that political power is more subtle and is part of a series of societal controls and 'normalizing' influences through historical institutions and definitions of normal vs. abnormal. Foucault once characterized power as "an action over actions" (''une action sur des actions''), arguing that power was essentially ''a relation'' between several dots, in continuous transformation as in [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]'s philosophy. His view of power lent credence to the view that power in human society was part of a training process in which everyone, from a [[prime minister]] to a homeless person, played their role within the power structure of society. [[Jürgen Habermas]] opposed himself to Foucault's conception of [[discourse]] as a battlefield for power relations, arguing that it should be possible to achieve [[consensus]] on the fundamentals rules of discourse, in order to establish a transparent and democratic [[dialogue]]. Thenceforth, he argued against Foucault and [[Louis Althusser]] that power was not immanent to discourse, and that philosophy could be completely distinguished from [[ideology]].