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The writings of Ralf Dahrendorf are important to understand legitimate power and
illegitimate power. Similar kind of action related to power can be legitimate and
illegitimate, according to who perform it or on what circumstances the action has
performed. If state for instance performs violent actions on an individual or a group,
it can be a legitimate action on the ground of national interests. However, similar
action cannot perform by a citizen against another citizen since he or she not comes
under the purview of the state authority. Existing social norms also give legitimate
powers to some persons or a group. Consider the examples of the Khap Panchayath
of Haryana where, the heads of the community has given the authority to perform
violence on its members.
From the existing theories and notions on power, we can understand the concept of
power in two ways. Some scholars consider power as a simple quantitative
phenomenon. It refers to the generalized capacity to act. This school of thought
considers power from the actions of the individuals or group who possess the power
ignoring its consequences on the victims. The writings of Hobbes and John Lock are
the example of this school of thought.
The second view on power consider power as both an capacity to act as well as the
right to act; which derive from the consent of those over whom power is exercised.
Writings of Foucault on power is crucial to understand this perspective on power.
Some scholars further tend to consider power as a zero-sum concept. They
maintain that, if one party possess and use the power, others will naturally loose
the power. On the contrary, some scholars like Talcott Parsons maintain that, both
the possessors of power and the subjects of power can also obtain power but may
be in varying proportion.
Instruments of powers
Scholars have identified various instruments of power through which the
performance of power can be mediated. They are as follows;
Coercive or condign power
Power in this context would be performed against the will of the person using
physical force, threatening, intimidation, physical and mental harassment,
bargaining etc. The fear about the consequences prevents the victim of denying or
resisting the attempt of the person or group which impose this kind of power on
Reference
Coser, Lewis A. and Bernard Rosenberg. (eds), Sociological theory: a book of
readings, London: McMillen Company