3.5 ‘Power’ defined
There’s more than one way of defining ‘power’.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘power’ is defined as:
- The ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way
- The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events
So, power has two meanings – one personal, about what goes on inside an individual’s heart/head; the other about their ability to influence others. We discuss both of them in this unit.
Walk into any household, community, boardroom or government office, and there will be a web of power relations – some visible, some hidden, some invisible – that links and influences everyone present. Friends and enemies, parents and children, bosses and employees, husbands, wives and partners, rulers and ruled. No matter the political system, power – whether formal or informal – is always present.
At any given point, different kinds of power co-exist and interact with each other to produce a range of possible results that often defy our ability to plan and predict how change could happen. In that sense power can be seen as part of a ‘system’.
Examining power is an essential part of trying to understand and influence change. Those who have power can influence how people live their lives, can determine which rights people can enjoy, and even determine what a vision of society should look like. Power sets parameters on how social and political relationships evolve. Understanding who holds power, who does not, and why, is therefore fundamental to understanding change processes, obstacles to change and even conflict where it occurs. Who are likely allies or opponents of change? Who are those with most power and those with least power in this relationship? How have they treated each other in the past? Who listens to those who have less power? How do those with less power become more powerful? What is our own power in relation to others?
Power and identity
Seen in this way, many processes of social and political change are actually about the renegotiation and redistribution of power. Gender relations are, at their essence, relationships of power. Race relations are relationships of power. Similarly, other identities such as class, religion, sexuality, age, and (dis)ability all inter-relate with each other and with power. Taking this into account in a holistic way is often referred to as an intersectional approach.
For example, there are different kinds of power and inequality in relationships between women and men and non-binary people, shaped by the cultural and societal norms in which we live and shown through behaviours. The intersection between gender and power plays out and is learned in the home – in the private places in our lives. It is reinforced in public spaces with others and in the intimate world of our own minds. And it is affected by our other identities such as our race, ethnicity, age or economic status.
So, when we think about aspects of our identity we must always think about power. When we think about power, we must always think about identity.
What happens when you ignore power?
Power and influence is at the heart of human relationships. From the moment a child is born and becomes conscious of themselves and the world of relationships, the processes of influencing their parents and those around them, to address their needs, begins. At household, community, national and global levels certain people, institutions and groupings acquire and use power for their own interests and ends, in some cases denying or holding power over others. These power relations can become deeply entrenched, are not always immediately visible and can potentially cause the marginalisation and oppression of others. As such, power lies at the heart of change, and its denial.
As a changemaker you will need to influence people or institutions who hold decision-making power, influence and the resources to support or deny the change you are seeking. As a changemaker interested in making sustainable change at a community level or in people’s lives, then shifting power relationships so that your constituency or community has more say and more power to influence, will need to be part of how you achieve change.
Understanding power, your own and others’, and how to use and engage with it is the only sure way to achieve and influence change. Ignore power at your peril.
Activity 3.2: What is power?
What do you think of when you see the word ‘power’?
What different kinds of power can you think of?
When is power a good thing, when is it a bad thing?
Add your reflections to the free text box, in the Make Change Happen Plan or in your own notebook.
3.4 How do you understand power when making change happen?
