“Power and Powerlessness”

John Gaventa

Power and Participation

Explaining QuiescenceWhy, in circumstances of inequality, do challenges to that

inequality not always occur? “What is there in certain situations of social deprivation that prevents issues from arising, grievances from being voiced, or interests from being recognized?”

How do we explain inaction in the face of inequality. This is the key question Gaventa is attempting to answer.

Power and Participation

Gaventa Thesis: Political Participation Shaped by Power (4)

“In situations of inequality, the political response of the deprived group or class may be seen as a function of power relationships…”

Protocols of Persuasion

What is the Nature of Power? (4)Lukes: Three dimensions or faces of power.

1) First: Pluralists 2) Second: Agenda-Setting 3) Third: Hegemony

Three Faces of Power

1) One-Dimensional Approach: Pluralists (5)Theory of Power: A has power over B to the extent that A

can getB to do something he otherwise would not do.

Characteristics of A Plural System:1) Grievances are freely acted upon, when they

develop.2) System is open “to virtually every group”3) Leaders function not as “elites,” but as

representatives and may be studied as such.

Three Faces of Power

1) One-Dimensional Approach: Pluralists (5)Theory of Non-Participation: Since system is open, and

there is no block no getting involved, non-participation is thought to result from inertia, or apathy. That is, it results from some personal defect of those who do not participate. (6-7)

Three Faces of Power

Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)Schattschneider: non-participation results from the

“suppression of options.”

“Whoever decides what the game is about also decides who gets in the game.” (8-9)

Three Faces of Power

Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)

Bachrach and Baratz: Power works to shape not only who is included and excluded, but also which issues and problems are included and excluded. (9)

Three Faces of Power

Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)

Mobilization of Bias: Organizations are designed to favor certain individuals or

issues and disadvantage others.

Example: US Steel and Air Pollution (9)Gary Indiana: People did not pursue air pollution issue, or

challenge US Steel because of its assumed power. “The reputation for power may have been more important than its exercise. It could have enabled US Steel to prevent political action without taking action itself.” (9)

Three Faces of Power

Alternate Theory of non-participationInaction is related to power:

Limits of Second Face: Does not Consider How Power May Effect

Conception of Grievances (10-11)It failures to see that the absence of a grievance may

itself be a consequence of power. (11)

Three Faces of Power

Three-Dimensional Approach: Hegemony (11)Theory of Power: “Not only might A exercise power over B

by prevailing in the resolution of a key issue, but also through affecting B’s conceptions of issues altogether.”

A over B Power is ability not only to get B to do A wants,

whether B wanted to or not, but to directly shape what B wants, or thinks “he” wants. (12)

Three Faces of Power

Three-Dimensional Approach: Hegemony (11)This type of control may happen in absence of conflict,

which has been averted.

Theory of ParticipationTheory of Power cannot focus on actually behavior: it

must consider also the way in which “potential” conflicts or debates are avoided, or prevented from ever occurring. (12)

Both 2nd and 3rd faces of Power help us explain inaction in the face of inequality.