{"id":110210,"date":"2018-04-30T12:00:42","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T11:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=110210"},"modified":"2018-05-28T12:42:12","modified_gmt":"2018-05-28T11:42:12","slug":"deconstructing-power-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2018\/04\/deconstructing-power-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Deconstructing Power (Part 3)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Read: Part 1<\/a> \u2013 Part 2<\/a> – Part 4<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n

30 Apr 2018 – <\/em>When faced by \u201can awesome\u201d projection of power–by a \u201cruler\u201d, a dictator or a monarch–the initial reaction of an ordinary person is, naturally, that of \u201cawe\u201d, a bit like that of a deer frozen in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.<\/p>\n

The author believes that the power elites are–and have always been–cunning enough to plan their power projections accordingly. Generating \u201cawe\u201d is a major element of their strategy for holding on to power and for enlarging it. The specific technique employed differs from time to time, and from place to place. It may be a grand pageant, huge rallies in support of something, a \u201ccrackdown\u201d on some elements of the society, or saber-rattling against an \u201cenemy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Indeed, there are huge advantages in following that strategy. Projection of power always polarizes the population. One part of the population \u2013 the more cunning \u2013 senses instantly \u201cwhich side of the bread is buttered\u201d and tends to move towards lucrative positions within the \u201ccorridors and circles of power\u201d. Thereby the power-mongers receive an unending supply of eager and pliable lackeys, thrilled at the prospect of being amongst the powerful and the privileged.<\/p>\n

Some groups in the population may recoil a little from the power projection. These groups are also immensely useful to the power-mongers \u2013 to be demonized and then used use as handy targets of \u201cdeterrent\u201d applications of power.<\/p>\n

Also, power projection is invariably done with public money \u2013 and huge profits are generated thereby for the power elite. These profits can very easily be made to look \u201clegitimate\u201d \u2013 and of course they serve to perpetuate power.<\/p>\n

Even apart from the huge profits, the expenditure of public money also creates opportunities for patronage \u2013 that is, buying private loyalty at public expense.<\/p>\n

Thus any \u201cpower projection\u201d by the power elite serves as a very effective strategy in strengthening and prolonging their own grip on power. Sadly, this also seems to be a never-ending strategy \u2013 leading to whispers amongst the wise that \u201cwar and misery are business strategies of the power elite\u201d.<\/p>\n

[The schoolyard analogy works in this case as well. When a bully picks on a weaker student, and makes a huge spectacle of it, a few students amongst the onlookers would be drawn towards the bully \u2013 while others may draw back. Of course the cunning bully makes mental note of all such reactions.]<\/p>\n

A \u201cmodern\u201d man or woman may be shocked \u2013 or even horrified \u2013 to learn that some aspects of \u201cmodern\u201d societies are no different from those of much older and simpler societies! After all, the dash to \u201cmodernity\u201d seems mainly to be a frantic and misguided dash \u201caway from simplicity\u201d! Was it all for nothing?<\/p>\n

An inescapable fact of human life is that some key aspects of \u201cgroup behavior\u201d or \u201ccrowd behavior\u201d can never be transcended \u2013 no matter how \u201cmodern\u201d or \u201cpost-modern\u201d a proud society may judge itself to be!<\/p>\n

Keeping in mind these crucial psycho-dynamics of power, we can now continue with our general observations about the ways in which \u201craw power\u201d is exercised in any human society<\/em> \u2013 regardless of the society\u2019s specific characteristics<\/em>.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

[Note: Points 1<\/strong> to 7<\/strong> were included in Part 2<\/em> of the series.]<\/p>\n

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  1. Grand buildings and monuments, ceremonies, institutions, formalities, insignia, invocations, proclamations \u2026 et cetera<\/em> \u2026 are the outward trappings of power and wealth \u2013 employed to keep the dumb and the powerless in awe.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Tribes of priests, lawyers and courtiers are always at hand to support all such lucrative business tactics. Power elites attend in their finest dresses and jewelry, putting on a solemn and sanctimonious act, trying to appear \u201cconcerned for the country\u201d \u2013 and more \u201ccultured\u201d than mere mobsters and their molls.<\/p>\n

    By means such as these, the ordinarily good people of the country are duped into cheering the entire spectacle power \u2013 accepting that as being \u201clove of country\u201d. In reality, of course, the good people are being readied for their essential role as workers, tillers of the land, cannon folder and tax slaves.<\/p>\n

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    1. Presumably, \u201cSatan\u201d or \u201cthe Devil\u201d does not need any justification for being \u201cevil\u201d. He is \u201cevil\u201d because he is \u201cevil\u201d \u2013 just as \u201cGod\u201d is \u201dgood\u201d because he is \u201cgood\u201d. We must take these assertions \u201con faith\u201d, as absolutes. Certain religions even seem to posit this bipolarity as a fundamental fact of existence.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      But human beings do need some kind of justification \u2013 or \u201cpsychological cover\u201d \u2013 for their evil deeds. In this context, \u201cGod\u201d serves a most useful purpose. A vast range of selfish activities can be disguised as being \u201cin harmony with God\u2019s will\u201d. All that is needed is some clever and convoluted argumentation \u2013 which the power elites in any society can arrange all too easily.<\/p>\n

      Justification in the name of \u201cGod\u201d places actions of the power elites beyond the scope of man-made laws. Also, this strategy makes it easier for the powerful to victimize people who are rather conveniently accused of being \u201cgodless\u201d.<\/p>\n

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      1. Man-made laws should in theory be aimed at generating harmony, justice and human welfare within the society. However, these are usually not the aims of the power elites in a society. Therefore they usually create laws designed to suit their convenience \u2013 but disguised as being \u201cin public interest\u201d. Such duplicity also needs clever and convoluted argumentation, which is easily arranged.<\/li>\n
      2. In the few points above, we see that power elites create smoke-screens out of<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n