How to understand power - Eric Liu

Summary

This video explores the concept of power in civic life, emphasizing its significance and multifaceted nature. It defines power as the ability to influence others and identifies six main sources: physical force, wealth, state action, social norms, ideas, and numbers. The video outlines three laws of power: it is never static, it flows like water, and it compounds. It also discusses the importance of understanding and exercising power effectively for civic engagement. The lesson concludes by highlighting the ethical dimension of power, urging viewers to consider their motives and the impact of their actions on the broader community.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Power is omnipresent in daily life and is created by systems that others have established.
• 🤔 Understanding power is crucial for navigating community and civic life, despite the discomfort it may cause.
• 🏛 In a democracy, power is ideally supposed to reside with the people, but discussions about who truly wields it can be controversial.
• 🔍 Power itself is neutral, similar to fire or physics, and it's how it's used that defines its impact.
• 💪 The ability to influence others' actions is the fundamental definition of power.
• 👮‍♂️ Physical force and capacity for violence are among the primal sources of power, evident in police or militias.
• 💰 Wealth is a significant source of power, enabling the purchase of results and other forms of power.
• 🏢 State action, or government, uses law and bureaucracy to compel actions, with power derived from elections in democracies or force in dictatorships.
• 👥 Social norms represent a form of power that influences behavior and can lead to legal changes, operating through peer influence rather than centralized authority.
• 💡 Ideas have the potential to generate immense power when they inspire people to alter their thoughts and actions.
• 👫 Numbers, or the collective voice of many people, create power through expressing shared interests and asserting legitimacy, as seen in movements like the Arab Spring.
• 🔄 Power is dynamic, always accumulating or decaying, and inaction can lead to being acted upon.
• 💧 Power flows like water and can be directed, with politics aiming to channel this flow and policymaking attempting to solidify it.
• 🔢 Power compounds, with the potential to create a cycle of increasing power or powerlessness.
• 📚 Becoming power literate involves understanding the sources and operations of power and recognizing one's ability to influence it.
• 📝 To 'write' power, one must believe in their right to author change, express themselves authentically, and organize both ideas and people.
• 🎯 Setting and pursuing objectives, observing patterns, and adapting strategies are part of practicing power in public life.
• 🤝 The ethical use of power, guided by character, is essential for being a great citizen.

Q & A

What is the general discomfort around discussing power in civic life?

The discomfort arises from the perception that discussions about power and who really has it can seem dirty or even evil, despite power being a neutral concept that governs how any form of government works.

Why is it important to understand power in a democratic society?

Understanding power is crucial in a democracy because it helps individuals be effective, be taken seriously, and not be taken advantage of. It also aids in making informed decisions about community choices and actions.

What is the basic definition of power as discussed in the script?

Power is defined as the ability to make others do what you would have them do, playing out in all arenas of life, including the civic arena where it influences community decisions and actions.

What are the six main sources of civic power mentioned in the script?

The six main sources of civic power are physical force, wealth, state action (government), social norms, ideas, and numbers (a large group of people).

How does the script describe the relationship between wealth and power?

Wealth is described as a core source of power because it creates the ability to buy results and almost any other kind of power, demonstrating its significant influence in various aspects of life.

What role does the state action play in the exercise of power?

State action, or government, uses law and bureaucracy to compel people to do or not do certain things. In a democracy, this power is theoretically given by the people through elections.

How do social norms influence power?

Social norms operate in a softer, peer-to-peer manner without centralized machinery like government. They can influence behavior and even change laws, as seen in the evolution of norms around marriage equality.

What is the significance of ideas in the context of power?

Ideas, such as individual liberties or racial equality, can generate significant power if they motivate enough people to change their thinking and actions, demonstrating the potential of ideas to drive change.

How does the script explain the concept of 'power compounds'?

The concept of 'power compounds' suggests that power begets more power, and similarly, powerlessness begets more powerlessness. This dynamic can lead to a concentration of power unless balanced by laws and regulations.

What are the three laws of power discussed in the script?

The three laws of power are: 1) Power is never static and is always accumulating or decaying. 2) Power flows like water, and politics is about directing this flow. 3) Power compounds, meaning it tends to accumulate and create more power.

What does the script suggest as a way to become more powerful in public life?

The script suggests developing 'power literacy' by learning to read and write power. This involves understanding the sources and dynamics of power, believing in one's right to influence change, and practicing strategies such as consensus building and conflict management.

What is the final question the script poses about the purpose of power?

The script asks whether one seeks power to benefit everyone or only oneself, and whether the purposes are pro-social or anti-social. This question is about character and the ethical use of power.