Assessment

What is the best definition of power in the context of politics?

• The ability to create wealth for social change

• The right to participate in elections

• The capacity to influence or control the behavior of others

• The legal process of creating laws

Which theorist defined power as the ability to achieve one’s goals even against resistance, often using coercion?

• Max Weber

• R.H. Tawney

• Robert Dahl

• Karl Marx

According to Karl Marx, power is primarily used by:

• Government agencies to implement programs and policies.

• The elite class to dominate other social groups

• Religious leaders to guide communities

• Citizens to make democratic choices

Robert Dahl defined power as:

• A natural force that occurs in all social settings.

• The formal right to control behavior of other people.

• A relationship where one actor can influence another to act.

• The system of rules implemented by society to its constituents.

What distinguishes authority from power?

• Authority is personal while power is only institutional

• Authority is accepted as legitimate by society

• Authority is used only by the rich and powerful

• Authority refers only to elected leaders