Topic 3: Concepts of power, order, and justice

• The process by which a community selects rulers and empowers them to make decisions, takes action to attain common goals, and reconciles conflicts within the community (Magstadt, 2017)
• Goal in the study of politics and political science

  • Self-interest
  • Public interest
  • Knowledge and understanding of government
• Power is the currency of all politics.
• Without power, no government can make and enforce laws, provide security, regulate the economy, conduct foreign policy, or wage war.
• A large population, a booming economy, a cohesive society, and wise leadership—all are examples of quite different power sources.
• Hard power refers to the means and instruments of brute force or coercion, primarily military and economic clout.
• Soft power is “attractive” rather than coercive: the essence of soft power is “the important ability to get others to want what you want.
• Sources of Powers

  • Force
  • Influence
  • Authority
  • Legitimate Power
  • Illegitimate Power
  • Expert Power
  • Referent Power
• Force. This is the actual or threatened use of coercion to impose one's will on others.
• Influence. This refers to the exercise of power through the process of persuasion. It is the ability to affect the decisions and actions of others.
• Authority. This refers to power that has been legitimized by society. People obey commands from a recognized authority not out of fear or for rewards, but because they believe it is right to do so.
• Legitimate Power. This is power that is granted because of merit or reward, and it can be given by the majority of people.
• Illegitimate Power. This is power that is taken through unlawful means like extortion, forceful takeover, or coercion.
• Expert Power. This is power given to individuals or groups that have certain leadership capabilities and skills.
• Referent Power. This is a person's ability to influence others' behavior because they are respected, admired, or liked.
• Order - It refers to an existing or desired arrangement of institutions based on certain principles, such as liberty, equality, prosperity, and security.
• Order - Also often associated with the rule of law (as in the phrase “law and order”) and with conservative values such as stability, obedience, and respect for legitimate authority.
• Order - It denotes structures, rules, rituals, procedures, and practices that make up the political system embedded in every society.
• Justice - We willingly accept the rule of the few over the many only if the public interest—or common good—is significantly advanced in the process.
• Justice - The distinction between the public-spirited exercise of political power on one hand and self-interested rule on the other. This distinction attests to the importance of justice in political life.
• Methodology in the study of politics and political science

  • Observational or empirical method
  • Historical method
  • Comparative method
  • Analytical method
• Observational or empirical method - Observing actual political institutions and their processes.
• Historical method - The origin and evolution of the state and its institutions, be seeking to explain what they are and what they will be.
• Observational or empirical method - Every change in their operation and structure, every method in the formulation and determination of their laws and policies, and every new system of administration in a state has great significance.
• Observational or empirical method - This can be used in determining voting behavior in which election statistics and opinion polls are measures used to predict the election winner.
• Historical method - To identify the forces and factors that influence its growth and development.
• Historical method - It depends much upon the evidence of past experiences of the state in order to be able to explain the present and future development of its institutions.
• Comparative method - Focuses on contemporary political institutions and practices of various countries at different periods of history.
• Comparative method - We can draw similarities and differences in the structures and systems of the government of these countries, thus, it gives us the opportunity to select the best that can be adopted and suited to present conditions.
• Analytical method - It is aimed at discovering the significant or essential elements of political institutions in an attempt to analyze and examine their worth and value and how they work.
• Hard Power: The Philippine government exercises military power through the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and law enforcement agencies like the Philippine National Police (PNP) to maintain national security.
• Soft Power: Cultural diplomacy, media influence, and international relations (e.g., the Philippines' role in ASEAN) help shape the country's global image.
• Authority: The Philippine Constitution legitimizes government power, ensuring elected officials have the mandate to govern.
• Force: The government's use of force is seen in counterterrorism efforts, the war on drugs, and law enforcement actions.
• Rule of Law: The Philippines operates under a legal framework that upholds order. However, issues like extrajudicial killings and delays in the judicial system pose challenges.
• Government Structures: Institutions like the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) ensure legal order.
• Challenges to Order: Insurgencies (e.g., Communist New People's Army, Abu Sayyaf), corruption, and bureaucratic inefficiencies challenge governance.
• Legal Justice: The judiciary ensures the protection of rights, but slow legal proceedings often hinder justice.
• Social Justice: The government promotes equality through programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to assist the poor.
• Political Justice: Issues like electoral fraud, political killings, and lack of genuine representation remain concerns.