The Struggle for Power (CL1)
The purpose of politics has not altered since the time-before-design, but its two aspects have such different natures:
«obtaining access to the wealth and power of a society» is highly desirable and certain; while
«managing wealth and power for the good of the people» is more problematic and success is in the eye of the beholder.
An organized group is the basic unit of political life, and so active organized groups define the structure of power in society. This power structure determines political choices and the differential allocation of intrinsic social benefits (i.e. goods like status, power, special privilege and non-earned wealth).
Only in the final Stage-7 of political maturation did the needs of each and all come to the fore in the way governing institutions are designed and operated. But no society has yet matured to Stage-7.
The Challenge in Politics
Human nature means that social goods and benefits like status and special rights (i.e. powers, immunities, privileges) spontaneously come into existence with social life.
The challenge of government is how to use society’s wealth and power to benefit society as a whole. However, the challenge of politics for any member of society is about how to influence choices affecting society. That means how to influence choices affecting society so that you and your preferred group benefit.
refers to «the power to influence choices made for society». These are the choices that will lead to differential benefits amongst the various groups.
Because the most important choices are made by government and its agencies, power-oriented groups either seek to enter and control government, or seek influence over individuals who have successfully entered government.
Maintaining Political Stability
The practicality and stability of the provides the basis for a more or less civilized political life.
exists when the differential flow of is broadly in accord with their power and preferences. Stability refers to a status quo where benefits are allocated, even as the stronger groups jockey and struggle more or less intensely to maintain or increase their share of social goods.
Stability based on sharing benefits is simultaneously the challenge, the goal and the problem of politics and government.
What is acceptable may not be equitable: but who is to judge? Being human seems to mean never feeling…
So sustaining and improving the level and share of benefits becomes the focus for amongst groups. These struggles and battles cause problems and pressures for governments, and shape . This framework clarifies how that happens.
Is the Struggle If the benefits for any one group change, then the balance overall changes so there is a social effect. If the balance changes, then some specific groups must suffer i.e. there are individual effects. The same applies within any particular group: an individual battling for themselves alone can produce group benefits, and anything that benefits the whole group also benefits each individual’s private concerns.
So the private-individual and public-social dimensions are synthesized at this Level—and there is only one balancedCentre as shown in the diagram.
- Read more about political stability and the recourse to violence to force change.
- Then take the next step: how to bring powerful groups under some control.
Originally posted: July 2009; Last updated: 2 June 2014