The Concept and Characteristics of Power

Power has certain characteristics that contribute to creating an opportunity for thosewho use it. Some hold that power in itself is not an aim, but a means to attainingeconomy. Others think that power is a pleasant status towards which mans ambitionurges man to have accesssto it. Accordingly, power and execrising authority are anaim, and even economy and the like can be the cost for gaining control. Marx thinksthat power is a means, but Russell thinks it is an aim. The present article introduces adefinition of power according to the political studies, and then discusses thecharacteristics of power and some of the questions connected with the concept ofpower. The author makes use of the resources available in libraries, and afterexplaining the meaning of power, he deals with the various views about the mainquestions and comments on them.