Check your Understanding Different Types of Power

1. Check your UnderstandingDifferent Types of Power • What types of power are exercised in the United Kingdom? • What type of power is, in your opinion, the worst? Why? • What type of power is the best to have? Why?

2. What you will learn… Success Criteria – I can… Outlinethe theories and provide relevant examples. • DescribeSteven Lukes’ theory on power.

3. Steven Lukes on Power (1974) • Steven Lukes argued that power had three ‘faces’ or ‘dimensions’. • Decision making • Non decision making (Agenda Setting) • Shaping Desires (Secretive or Insidious face)

4. 1. Decision Making • Lukes’ first face of power is its ‘open face’, or power that is transparent and visible to citizens. • It is the power to make and implement decisions. • For example, when the government proposes to introduce a new law they produce a bill which will be debated in the Houses of Parliament, discussed in the media and attract the attention of pressure groups, which might, in turn lobby MPs. • Eventually the bill may pass through the decision-making process and become law.Usually we can identify where the power lies and see the process taking place. This allows transparency or ‘openness’. • In a modern democracy this would be viewed as the introduction of new laws through Parliament. For example when the UK government proposes a law they produce a bill which will debated in the House of Commons, similarly in the USA a bill will pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is seen as transparent and democratic - most people accept the decision due to the democratic nature of the process.

5. Example – Decision Making

6. 2.Non-Decision Making (agenda setting) • The ‘Secretive Face’ • Having the power to set agendas and therefore limit what is being discussed – certain issues are stopped by the powerful ‘elite’ never reaching the point where decisions are made. • The powerful can ignore the demands of the weak by delay, avoidance, or mass bureaucracy, or inconclusive inquiries. • Issues are avoided that the powerful anticipate will cause problems. Analysis – This can be seen as a very secretive form of power which is not democratic or transparent as often citizens are not aware it is taking place or unable to influence the political agenda. This type of power is only exercised behind ‘closed doors’.

7. In Focus: Secret Face • Scottish Devolution was strongly opposed by Thatcher and the Conservatives from 1979-1997 so it was never discussed. • The Labour government elected in May 1997 had made devolution a prominent part of its election manifesto in Scotland and subsequently held a referendum on the issues. • The Scottish National Party (SNP), whose aim was independence wanted a question in the referendum on independence as well as devolution, but the Labour government did not allow it as it was not part of their political agenda. • Similarly, Thatcher’s Conservatives denied the link between poor health and poverty so policies were never enacted to tackle this. • Despite evidence of this link in the Labour produced Black Report of 1980.

8. 3. Manipulating Desires (Thought Control) • Lukes suggests that power can go further, and its third face is one in which power is exercised through manipulation. • His argument is that people in power can persuade us that the decisions being made are in our best interests and what we want or need • For example, some feminists would claim that women are persuadedthat being a housewife and mother is in the best interest for women in our society. • In reality, other feminists would argue, women who occupy this role are being exploited by men for the benefit of men. • It can be argued that this is the most insidious (SUBTLE BUT HARMFUL)form of power because citizens are manipulated into believing that the government are acting in their best interests and often citizens are unaware that their desires are being shaped by those in power. This shows this is another very ‘secretive’ or ‘hidden’ form of power.

9. In Focus: Power as thought control • Tony Blair and Iraq war (WMDs). For example, Tony Blair claimed that there was strong evidence that Iraq under Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction. This was used to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003 but once the invasion had taken place it was revealed that this was not the case and lead to claims that that the evidence had been manipulated by the Prime Minister in order to manipulate public opinion.

10. Summary points • Lukes’ first face of power: the open face of power, where the decision-making process is considered to be relativelytransparent (we can see it) • Lukes’ second face of power: the secretive face of power, in which the political agenda is set behind closed doors (it is hidden from us) • Lukes’ third face of power: evident where power is the ability to manipulate the opinions of others in order to persuade them that what is being proposed is desirable. (we are persuaded we want something) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsgEPBgSCA8

11. Lukes’ Theories on Power Starter: Describe – in your own words – the first two of Luke’s faces of power.

12. Analyse the concept of power with reference to the ideas of Steven Lukes. (12)2015 H Politics Paper

13. 12 mark ResponsesAnalyse… or Evaluate… or Compare

15. Analyse the concept of power with reference to the ideas of Steven Lukes. (12) • Power as the ability to get someone to do something, which they would not have done otherwise through the use of threats, sanctions, manipulation or rewards. • Lukes’ first face of power: the open face of power, where the decision-making process is considered to be relatively transparent. • Lukes’ second face of power: the secretive face of power, in which the political agenda is set behind closed doors. • Lukes’ third face of power: evident where power is the ability to manipulate the opinions of others in order to persuade them that what is being proposed is desirable.

16. Intro – Good Practice & helpful for structure Background & Factors you will discuss. It is often argued that all politics is about Power; who has it and how much power they have. (background) Steven Lukes’ theory of power consisted of ‘Three Faces of Power’; Decision Making, Agenda Setting and Shaping Desires.(factors)

17. How to Analyse • Links between different ideas… This links with the view of… • Similarities and contradictions This is similar to because…/ This goes against because… Different views/interpretations Some would argue that this means … Possible consequences/implications As a consequence of this… It can be argued that… The relative importance of components Arguably this is relevant/ important because…

18. Analysis example Therefore we could argue that the third face of power is used today by lots of politicians. It is quite different from the first face of power as the public may not know when they are being manipulated… and it could lead to Governments making decisions that are not best for the country.

19. Para 1 – Decision Making The first and most obvious face of power is the ‘open face’ of power or Decision Making. (topic sentence) In a modern democracy like the UK, this would consist of the introduction of new laws through parliament. When the UK government proposes a law they produce a bill which will debated in the House of Commons, similarly in the USA a bill will pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In a pluralist democracy, the bill is scrutinised by the media, pressure groups and committees before becoming a law. (K - description) An example of this would be the Marriage of Same Sex Couples Act in 2013 which had several readings in Parliament, was voted on and scrutinised by committees and pressure groups before being passed as a law. (K - example) It can be argued that this ‘open face’ of power is the most democratic and transparent as citizens can see the decision making process for themselves; therefore most citizens accept the decision due to the democratic nature of the process. (analysis) It can also be argued that this type of power is the most commonly seen and relevant in Democratic countries such as the UK as the general public are aware of the passage of legislation through various stages and therefore accept it becoming law. (analysis)

20. Para 2 – Agenda Setting The second and more ‘secretive’ face of power is… (topic sentence) This can be described as…(K – description – how does it work?) An example of this would be(K – example – Tories % Devolution or Thatcher & Poverty) It can be argued that (analysis – why good/ bad? Is it Democratic, transparent etc?)

21. Para 3 – Shaping Desires The third and most ‘insidious’ face of power is… (topic sentence) This can be described as…(K – description – how does it work?) An example of this would be(K – Blair & WMD) It can be argued that (analysis – why good/ bad? Is it Democratic, transparent etc.?)

22. Conclusion – Good Practice & helpful for structure Basic sum up. In conclusion, Steven Lukes identified the three faces of Power as Decision Making, Agenda Setting and Thought Control. He argued that these faces are exercised by those in power and that the first face or ‘open face’ of power is largely positive whereas agenda setting and thought control can have a negative impact on citizens.