POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY

We know from research into politics and power that these two variables are widely discussed as interrelated concepts. However, what remains poorly understood is that politics is not only interrelated with the concept of power, but politics itself is about how power is exercised legitimately. This re...

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Main Author: Derwin Tambunan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Nasional Jakarta 2021-11-01
Series:Journal of Social Political Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://e-journal.unas.ac.id/index.php/jsps/article/view/82
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author Derwin Tambunan
author_facet Derwin Tambunan
author_sort Derwin Tambunan
collection DOAJ
description We know from research into politics and power that these two variables are widely discussed as interrelated concepts. However, what remains poorly understood is that politics is not only interrelated with the concept of power, but politics itself is about how power is exercised legitimately. This research aims to ascertain whether politics can be reduced to power and, if so, what precisely the concept of power can explain the essence of politics. A literature study was deployed in order to answer these questions. The findings showed that power is the essence of politics; politics are enterprises sharing and shaping power. However, politics can be adequately understood if power is viewed as a legitimate capacity to act. Approaching politics outside of this definition cannot be said as a proper definition of politics because legitimacy is the heart and essential to power, and only by applying this definition politics can be adequately interpreted. If politics is seen as a right to govern and power is understood as the legitimate capacity to act, thus, these two elements will create a political obligation that is vital in a political concept. Consent and legitimacy are the two aspects necessary to achieve the right to exercise governments' political authority. If power is exercised legitimately, then it will draw people trust. People trust is the precondition in political concepts and political legitimacy, which indicates the rightfulness to govern conferred by people to political regimes or political sovereignty established in the collective advantage or common good.
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spelling doaj.art-d5c99bdbb0704fef928f181d549884612022-12-22T02:02:02ZengUniversitas Nasional JakartaJournal of Social Political Sciences2715-75392021-11-012432834110.52166/jsps.v2i4.8282POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACYDerwin Tambunan0School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072, AustraliaWe know from research into politics and power that these two variables are widely discussed as interrelated concepts. However, what remains poorly understood is that politics is not only interrelated with the concept of power, but politics itself is about how power is exercised legitimately. This research aims to ascertain whether politics can be reduced to power and, if so, what precisely the concept of power can explain the essence of politics. A literature study was deployed in order to answer these questions. The findings showed that power is the essence of politics; politics are enterprises sharing and shaping power. However, politics can be adequately understood if power is viewed as a legitimate capacity to act. Approaching politics outside of this definition cannot be said as a proper definition of politics because legitimacy is the heart and essential to power, and only by applying this definition politics can be adequately interpreted. If politics is seen as a right to govern and power is understood as the legitimate capacity to act, thus, these two elements will create a political obligation that is vital in a political concept. Consent and legitimacy are the two aspects necessary to achieve the right to exercise governments' political authority. If power is exercised legitimately, then it will draw people trust. People trust is the precondition in political concepts and political legitimacy, which indicates the rightfulness to govern conferred by people to political regimes or political sovereignty established in the collective advantage or common good.http://e-journal.unas.ac.id/index.php/jsps/article/view/82legitimacypoliticpower
spellingShingle Derwin Tambunan
POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY
Journal of Social Political Sciences
legitimacy
politic
power
title POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY
title_full POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY
title_fullStr POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY
title_full_unstemmed POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY
title_short POLITICS AND POWER: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEGITIMACY
title_sort politics and power a critical perspective on legitimacy
topic legitimacy
politic
power
url http://e-journal.unas.ac.id/index.php/jsps/article/view/82
work_keys_str_mv AT derwintambunan politicsandpoweracriticalperspectiveonlegitimacy