Power: some questions
To begin this course, I'd like you to answer a couple of questions.First, off the top of your head, without looking at a dictionary, any course readings, or any of the previously posted comments, how would you define "power"?
posted by djw @ 9:59 AM
39 Comments:
power can be defined as the perceived control or ability to influence a situation. at least that's my best notion of the word.
In the past some of my other classes have defined power in a couple of ways. First as the ability to convince people to do something they would not ordinarily do, and secondly the ability to keep someone from doing something that they would prefer to do. It has also been defined as the ability to bring about change.
I would define power as control and influence either through force, materials, institution, wealth, strength, cultural hierarchy, knowledge, emotions, etc.
I think power is the mutual perception that allows you to get what you want from whomever you want, whenever you want it.
I would define power as the ability of one individual or group of individuals to influence another individual or group of individuals to take actions that they would not ordinarily take. This means that someone yielding power can make another individual do something they wouldn't normally do. As stated by a fellow classmate, this is how it has been explained to me in past classes.
work/time
or being able to get others to act in your interest, when doing so would otherwise be against their interests
Power could be defined in many different ways, in my opinion it depends to what context the word is being used. Whether it is a country having a lot of power or a person. If someone has power they have the ability to change or have control over someone or something. Power can bring about spiritual, emotional, monetary change etc. just depends on the beholder who has it can wield it in different ways.
The definition of power involves the ability to alter other individual’s actions or thoughts. Powerful people coerce others to conform to their concept of normative behavior.
i remember from an introductory poli sci course that power was defined in the text as something along the lines of being able to get someone or a group of people to do something that you want them to do even if they don't want to do it. however, i generally think of power being synonymous with control or influence. to me it also has a negative connotation.
-jessica brennan
Power is anything, animate or inanimate, that results in a change in another entity animate or inanimate. This change can be enforced, manipulated, or controlled by any number of physical, emotional, intellectual, etc. means.
Tom W.
In political science I have always learned that power is the ability for A to get B to do something that B would not originally do on its own.
Power, to me, is defined as having the ability to control a situation to satisfy your personal interests; by controlling others to do what you want in order to achieve your desires. Power is having dominance over others so you can control any situation and its outcomes to fit with what you want.
Power, to me, is defined as having the ability to control a situation in order to satisfy your personal interests, by having control over others to do what you want so your desires can be achieved. Power is having control and dominance over others to shape situations and its outcomes the way you feel is right, in order to get what you want.
power is the influence an entity has over an other. this could be in reference to individuals, nation states or even idead.
Power is the expanded freedoms that some may have, simply because others consented to forgo these freedoms.
‘power’ is the ability to control and effect internal and external ideas and actions
When I first read this question I immediately thought of another word...INFLUENCE. Thats how I define power. Influence (or power) may be exercised through physical force or more subtle persuasion. Power is gained through control.... control of money, commodities, or resources. I guess this is my loose definition, there might be others I can come up with but this is what first comes to mind!
To me, Power is the ability for a group or individual to influence the actions of others, through physical or mental forms of persuasion.
Power (in human interaction) is the ability to manipulate means in order to produce a desired end. This ability to control means can be derived from wealth, social standing, physical strength etc. It is executed in relation to others who posess fewer of these qualities (or to a lesser degree) but stand to gain (or prevent loss) by complying with the one in "power."
power can be defined as having the ability to influence others; to have them do what you want. However, it is not limited to having influence over people. It can also be the influence over a situation.
Power can be defined many ways, and without chasing a more complex definition down the rabbit hole, I define "power" as the ability to affect change, either through action or inaction.
Power, in the political sense, is the capacity to affect the condition and policies of other states in the international system with or without their consent, the degree to which is measured by the relative economic and political strength of any given state as compared to others within the global system.
Power in the general sense is much harder to define, and I'm not sure I can come up with an all-encompassing definition as of now.
I would define power as the ability of one entity to place a finite amount of valued outcomes upon which another entity may decide from.
I believe power derives from having influence or sway over another and being able to coerce them into acting, thinking, and/or believing what you want them to. A parent can have power over their children through their paternal ties, a robber can have power over a victim through fear, and a government can have power over its citizens through laws. Not all power is legitimate, yet it should be pointed out that having power over another and being able to coerce them isn't necessarily a bad thing. As stated before, the law has power through its laws, but these laws are generally in place to protect us, and without them, society could potentially be more chaotic and disorderly.
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My personal definition of power is ability and capability to do what a person or group of individuals want to do or be regardless of any causes and intentions.
Power is the capacity and ability to exert control and/or influence over another and to have the responding party react accordingly.
power is the ability to make something or someone do what you want regardless of what he/she or it thinks.
power is control.
Power can be defined in many different ways, however after class today I would say that the best definition of the word would be, possesion of a controling influence.
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I think power can be defined as a given right in which the posesser has leverege over the other person or people. It is generally unspoken but generally known by both parties, whether they are a person or an institution. Thats the best definition I can think of!
Power is having control over someone or something.
Power
Power to me is having the upper hand in a battle, in a election or any other type of contest. I think power is as much mental as it physical. Power is challenged very often so who ever has the power will take pride in keeeping it. Power is being above everyone else is your own category. Power is the ideal of "taking over".
I would define power as a person or group of persons that can influence or alter the actions of another person or group of persons.
Power I beleive can take on many different contexts. At first, I would say that it is the ability to influence others, however, power can also be the ability to have control over yourself or a situation. Therefore, I beleive in its simplest form, power is a feeling of control.
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I would define it as the ability to influence/affect others when they are making decisions or to do certain tasks. and force them to follow certain tasks even if it is something that's agains of their wills.
Off the top of my head, I would say there are two kinds of power, direct and indirect. Direct power is the ability to get someone to do something, such as parents ordering a child to clean or a president authorizing military action. Indirect power is from institutions, culture, or religion that influences a person's decision, whether or not they recognize it.
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