Everyone knows the purpose of state power. However, not everyone knows how it works. What are the main features of political power? Are there state regimes that are most optimal for society? Let's try to figure it out in our article.
What is power?
Power existed at all stages of human development. Even in the primitive communal system, relations of leadership and subordination were formed. This type of interaction expressed the needs of people in organization and self-regulation. Moreover, power is not only a mechanism for regulating society, but also a guarantee of the integrity of a certain group of people.
What is the main feature of political power? Thinkers of different times had their opinion on this matter. For example, Thomas Hobbes spoke of the desire to achieve good in the future. Mark Weber was more pessimistic, and therefore found in power the desire to subjugate his own kind. Bertrand Russell defined the relationship of leadership and submission as the production of intentional results. However, all scientists agree on one thing: power has a natural character.
Objects and Subjects
The question of what is the main feature of political power cannot be considered without defining the main components of the concept. It is known that any power is the ratio of domination and submission. Both types of relations are realized by the subjects of political power: social communities, political organizations and the state itself. People influence power only indirectly. This happens through elections. Only in rare cases can “grass-roots” institutions be created that take all power into their own hands.
The state exercises most of its political powers. The power apparatus includes the ruling parties, the bureaucratic elite, pressure groups and other institutions. The nature and strength of state functions depends on the regime of political power. For historical eras, different modes were characteristic. Each of them should be disassembled.
Types of power
The political regime is called the type of government, a set of methods, forms and techniques for the implementation of domination and subordination. Today, democracy prevails in most countries - a regime in which people are recognized as the source of power. Ordinary people indirectly participate in the exercise of state power. State power is formed by voting, which works in harmony with the people.
The opposite of democracy is authoritarianism. This is a regime in which the entirety of state power is in the hands of one person or group of persons. The people do not take any part in government affairs. Russian Empire XVIII-XX centuries. It can be called an authoritarian state.
Totalitarianism is called a hardened form of an authoritarian regime. The state not only completely subordinates the people to itself, but also intervenes in all spheres of public life. There is complete control by the authorities over each person. History knows many examples of political power of a totalitarian nature. These are Hitlerite Germany, the Stalinist USSR, modern North Korea, etc.
Complete anarchy and the absence of a political regime is characteristic of anarchy. The anarchist system is established after revolutions, wars or other social upheavals. As a rule, such a system does not prevail for long.
Functions
What is the main feature of political power? Having examined the main state regimes, we can confidently say: this is the construction of relations of domination and submission. Such relationships manifest themselves in different ways and may have dissimilar goals. However, the principle of power is always one: submission of one group of persons to another.
Power, whatever it may be, has approximately the same functions. The first and main feature of the state is that it has management authority. With its help, the authorities are realizing their plans. The next function is called the control. The government monitors the quality of its governance, as well as ensuring that no one violates its rules. To implement the control function, law enforcement agencies are created. The third function is organizational. Power forms relationships with citizens and public organizations to achieve mutual understanding. Finally, the last function is called educational. Power earns credibility by forcing citizens to be obedient.
Legitimacy of power
Any authority must be legal. Moreover, it must be recognized by the people. Otherwise, conflicts, revolutions and even wars are possible. History contains many examples of political power, which was destroyed by the people due to lack of recognition and compromise.
How does power become legitimate? Everything is simple here. The people themselves must empower persons to whom they will subsequently submit. If a person or group of people seizes power not at the will of the people, then a catastrophe will happen.
So, what are the features of political power? This is the presence of a clear structure, management apparatus, legitimacy and legality. Any power should serve only for the benefit of the people.