Political Will

The Imperatives

Political will, the essence of power-in-society, is experienced as an «imperative» which does not brook opposition easily. There are two types of imperative that are manifestations of political will:

Social imperative (CG-6²)

Political imperative (CG-6¹)

The critical feature of these two imperatives is that they determine: allocation and use of resources i.e. the wealth of society. The political will is always perceived as justifiable by the people involved, and actions that flow from imperatives are therefore justified in their terms. However foolish, no further explanation is felt necessary.

Political imperatives have been named that way because politicians gravitate towards them. It seems to them the only way that they can avoid public abuse and get re-elected. Social imperatives are similarly named: they are about improving society and social life.

Remember: Governments have no wealth of their own to allocate—only the wealth they forcibly get or take from someone.

Political Imperatives (CG-6¹)

Function:  To drive change that deals promptly with immediate social distress.

Orientation: Short-term crisis control to provide a remedy now, and worry about deleterious side-effects later.

More…

• There may be attempts to re-establish activities or developments before the disruptive event—even if impossible in practice.
• Solutions justified by a political imperative typically drag on far longer than initially envisaged or promised by leaders.
• Mal-designed governing and electoral systems often encourage dumping responsibility on the next government or the next generation.

See the Picture:

CL1: The most powerful groups have the most influence, and therefore get a disproportionate amount of any wealth that is allocated.

CL2:Laws are often rushed through.

CL3: Political leaders present themselves as forced to make choices that are otherwise undesirable.

CL4: The societal issue fills the media as well as becoming a focus for discussions at home and at work.

CL5: The public are judged as being incapable of taking a path that is oriented to their and their children’s long-term benefit.

CL6: The imperative presents itself as absolutely essential from a moral perspective.

CL7: Absent i.e. needs of people or communities are ignored.

Criticism of political imperatives and the implicit response include:

• uninformed
• self-serving
• worsens what is already a mess
• like taking an addictive drug
• applies the Matthew Principle: "to him that hath it shall be given, and to him that hath not, even that which he hath will be taken away from him." (The Bible - St Matthew's Gospel)

Social Imperatives (CG-6²)

Function: To drive change when certain conditions in society at large become unacceptable.

Orientation: Protection of society as it is now in the light of its self-evident evolution. Proposed changes aim to develop society, with its social capital and tangible wealth, in a fair, effective way.

See the Picture: 

CL7: The imperative is justified by certain actual needs of people and their communities.

CL6: Attention is paid to fostering the better side of people rather than pandering to their fears and weaknesses.

CL5: Because of the intrinsic stress, the imperative must include a formal clarification of the public interest being served.

CL4: Confronting the societal issue educates the people: which is essential to enable them to tolerate the inevitable pain, and to foster changes in habits.
This sentence is a bit of a mouthful

CL3: The imperative will indicate a variety of official decisions that are immediately possible (i.e. what must stop, what must start &c.)

CL2: The change in society is represented by unequivocal repeal of unjust laws and introduction of new targeted legislation.

CL1: Absent i.e. powerful groups are irrelevant to defining this imperative.

Criticism of the social imperative or the implicit response…

• too rational
• too utopian
• would be unacceptable to most people
• ignores immediate suffering.

The Desire for Sovereignty

These two aspects of societal power that identify and demand change in society have little effect if society is not in charge of itself. Intrusions from outside of a society that do not respect the culture will cause discord and instability.

Peace and stability are a desire of all and this preoccupation points to what must be delivered by the final grouping: sovereignty.

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• Read more about the connection between political will and inner experience.

  OR

• Continue now to the need for sovereignty.

Originally posted: August-2009; Last updated: 15-Nov-2010