Steven Lukes - 12 Marker Flashcards
Open-faced - Point
Steven Luke’s first face of power is known as open-faced decision making
Open-faced - Explain
First face of power refers to the ways power over political decision making is open & visible to a majority of citizens
People know they’re able to be involved in decision making through voting & a variety of ways
Power lies with the citizens who choose, via elections, who’ll govern them
Open-faced - Example
2019 General Election Cons won 365 seats giving them 56% of MPs
Allowed them to form a gov with Boris Johnson as leader
Open-faced - Analysis
Relevant today as multiple parties were involved but in the end had to accept the results of the election
Non-decision Making - Point
Second face of power is known as the non-decision making face
Non-decision Making - Explain
When political agenda is set behind closed doors
Specified that 2nd dimension of power allows for consideration of the ways decisions are prevented from being taken on issues
Non-decision Making - Example
August 2019 BJ asked Queen to shut parliament for 5 weeks
Non-decision Making - Analysis
Isn’t democratic today
Clear example of Gov attempting to limit ways in which MPs could involve themselves in making decisions of national importance
Ability to Shape Desires - Point
Third face of power known as the ability to shape desires
Ability to Shape Desires - Explain
Ability to change what someone thinks they want which may go against their best interests
Lukes pinpointed this was the most insidious face of power
Ability to Shape Desires - Example
Former PM Tony Blair insisted clear evidence existed that Iraq under Saddam Hussein possessed WMD to justify the invasion of Iraq
Once invasion was undertaken it emerged Iraq didn’t have WMD & Blair had used this to manipulate public opinion
Ability to Shape Desires - Analysis
First face of power classed as open faced
When legislation was passed in parliament it was possible to identify how MPs voted
Other 2 faces as closed as wasn’t clear when being used
Overall
Luke’s first face of power is different to the other 2 as it’s more democratic
