Course summary

This ten-week course examines the concept of ‘power’ in many aspects of human life, from personal empowerment to the oppressive power of others to control us. The making and maintenance of political power will be a central concern of the course. We will discuss figures such as Mussolini, whose Fascism conceived power as the privilege of the ‘elect few’.

By contrast, anarchists advocate a stateless society based on self-governance, with voluntary, cooperative and communal institutions. There are many types and traditions of anarchism, from extreme individualism to collectivism, from radical left-wing ideology to anarcho-capitalism.  These will be explored throughout the course.

Aims

The philosophy of power is a fascinating subject which will touch on many aspects of the student’s life, both personal and political. These perspectives can be used as tools to think through life issues, social situations, and cultural and political ideas. The class is itself a social situation where participants are encouraged to use their experiences as class material.

The aim of the course is to provide an enjoyable, interactive, and stimulating learning environment in which to explore new ideas with the teacher and other students.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• understand the history and key concepts in various areas of the philosophy of personal empowerment
• gain insight into the seminal works of key philosophers, and understand how political power can be used to oppress citizens
• relate the course ideas to contemporary political situations, such as the power play between nations on economic issues
• apply these ideas to your personal life and choices.

Content

Defining power

The course begins with an analysis of the many ways in which ‘power’ can be understood. Broadly, power can be understood as the positive empowerment to achieve our aims or the negative ways in which others have power over us. Max Weber defines power as “the probability that one actor within a social relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will despite resistance…” while Hannah Arendt has a communal theory of power: “power is the human ability not just to act but to act in concert”.

Anarchist philosophy

Anarchism developed out of radical socialist currents after the French Revolution but was first formulated as such in the Italian section of the First International. We will consider the theoretical work of Peter Kropotkin and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Proudhon was the first self-proclaimed anarchist; in 1840 he developed the theory of spontaneous order in society, where organisation emerges without a central coordinator.

Case studies in dictatorship

The course will showcase the rise and fall of various leaders and the underlying philosophy through which they justify their power. Some examples will be: Italian Fascist philosophy as developed by Giovanni Gentile and adopted by Benito Mussolini; Fidel Castro’s unique brand of Communism; and the very contemporary role of democracy as potentially leading to unconstitutional authoritarian power.

Foucault on positive power

Michel Foucault analyses modern power as a mobile and constantly shifting set of force relations that emerge from every social interaction and thus pervade the social body. As he puts it, “power is everywhere, not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere”.

Who this course is for

Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

Lecture/discussion

Delivery mode

Online lecture via the platform Zoom

Materials

Course handouts are provided electronically via Dropbox. Printing services are not provided.

Recommended reading

There is no prescribed text for this course.

Bibliography

Arendt, Hannah, 1958. The Human Condition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

–––, 1970. On Violence, New York: Harcourt Brace & Co..

Foucault, Michel, 1977. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. Alan Sheridan, New York: Vintage.

–––, 1979. The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction, trans. Robert Hurley, New York: Vintage.