Political Power, Legitimacy, and Democratic Systems
The Concept of Political Power
Power is defined as the ability to be obeyed by those involved in social relationships.
Max Weber, an important sociologist, believed that in a social relationship, power is what allows an individual to fulfill their own will. According to Weber, power is having capacity.
Sources of Political Legitimacy
Political legitimacy, or the justification for power, can stem from various sources:
- Force
- Persuasion
- Tradition
- Charisma
- Money
- Skills
- Knowledge
- Rationality
Weber’s Three Types of Legitimate Domination
The most important sources, often considered types of legitimate domination, are:
- Tradition:
- Having a historical background grants legitimacy (the authority rests on the sanctity of immemorial traditions).
- Charisma:
- A set of exceptional qualities that give the individual magnetism. This magnetism translates into authority, making the person seem exceptional to others.
- Rationality (Legal-Rational Authority):
- Legitimacy derived from adherence to established rules and technical competence. People vote for proposals or policies that are perceived as technically sound or legally mandated.
Philosophical Foundations of Political Power
The origin and legitimacy of political power are central themes in philosophy:
- Philosophy of Society: The rational and critical reflection on human beings in society.
- Political Philosophy: The part of philosophy that aims at the rational and critical reflection on the forms of collective organization of humans and the state.
Plato’s Ideal State: The Republic
Plato was the first philosopher to propose a model of an ideal state and political system (a utopian model) advocated in his philosophical essay The Republic.
The Platonic Model of Society
Plato advocated for a classist society, divided into three parts. He believed that every individual possesses certain capabilities and must perform the tasks for which they are best suited, thereby helping society advance:
- Producers: All workers (those focused on appetite).
- Guardians: Those with natural abilities to protect and defend order (those focused on spirit/courage).
- Governors (Philosopher Kings): Wise people who know what is right and wrong, the just men (those focused on reason).
Plato argued that those without knowledge of policy cannot govern.
A key criticism of the Platonic society is that sovereignty does not rest with the people; the citizens lack freedom. When Plato wrote this model, he was highly aware of the time of Socrates, his teacher, and the influence of the Sophists who taught how to succeed in politics.
Criteria for Capitalist Democracy
A fundamental right often associated with capitalist democracy is the preservation of private property.
Many sociologists have studied capitalist democracies. Robert Dahl proposes a scale of democratic values that serves to evaluate the level of democracy within a state:
- Types of Suffrage: The extent and nature of voting rights.
- Eligibility: The real level of those elected. The greater the number of restrictions in electoral law (e.g., based on wealth or unequal publicity for parties), the less democratic the country is.
- Democratic Competitiveness: Real competition for votes among various candidates.
- Electoral Transparency: The process must be followed and controlled from beginning to end.
- Real Participation: The actual number of people who vote (both in general elections and within a party).
- Freedom of Expression: Everyone must be able to speak freely and publicly; there can be no censorship.
- Informed Electorate (Knowledge): Citizens must have basic knowledge and access to information. Illiteracy, censorship, and the monopoly of the media block this necessary condition.