Power is one of the most important concepts in political science. In fact, some
political scientists see it as a defining element of the discipline.2 Power affects how
resources are distributed, how countries interact, whether peace or war prevails,
and how groups and individuals pursue their interests; that is, power affects the
myriad of topics studied by political scientists. Ironically, however, power is one
of the most difficult concepts to define.3
What is power? At its most fundamental level, power is an ability to
influence an event or outcome that allows the agent to achieve an objective
and/or to influence another agent to act in a manner in which the second agent,
on its own, would not choose to act.4 In terms of the first meaning, an interest
group, for example, could be said to have power if it succeeded in reaching its
financial goals. The interest group, in this case, would have achieved its objective
if its assets increased to meet its stated aims. Significantly, this type of power may
or may not involve exercising power over another agent. Conceivably, the
interest group could use its assets wisely and build up its revenues without
enacting power over any other interest group, political party, politician, and so
forth. However, in regard to the second meaning, having power means having
power over another agent.5 For example, one country can be viewed as exercising
power over another if it can influence the second country to act in a manner
favored by the first country but not favored by the second country.
These meanings become clearer when you recognize that the word power
stems from the older Latin term potere, defined as an ability to affect something
else.6 Thus, for example, a person was said to possess potere if that person had
some attribute allowing him or her to cause an effect on someone else. The word