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Essay / Three Dimensions of Power by Steven Lukes
In the reading A Radical View, Steven Lukes proposes three dimensions of power. It describes the second dimension as a person or group that creates or reinforces social and political values and institutional practices that limit the scope of the political process to public consideration. The third dimension is described as getting someone to do what they don't want to do and exerting power over that person by influencing and shaping their wants and needs. An example of the second dimension would be how, during a press briefing, a White House press secretary decides and limits the questions and topics that will be discussed, thereby controlling the conversation. The public only has what was discussed during the briefing to form an opinion and make decisions. This example shows how controlling a situation reduces the choices people can make or prevents decisions from being made together, because ignoring or preventing something from being on the agenda is a form of exercising power. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Bias in mobilization is also part of the second dimension. An example of mobilization bias would be current and past election laws. In the past, some citizens had to pay a fee to vote in an election, which prevented poor people from voting. Currently, thirty-four states require ID to vote, and seven of those states have very strict ID laws in place. Voter ID laws prevent low-income people and minorities from voting because they generally cannot afford to purchase an ID or travel to purchase an ID. Mobilization bias sets institutional procedures and rules that systematically operate to benefit certain groups at the expense of others. Voter ID laws benefit rich, white Americans at the expense of poor and minority Americans. An example of Lukes third dimension is media advertising. Advertisements can use manipulative tactics to influence and determine the wants and needs of viewers, which gives power to the companies running the ads. Another example would be how propaganda is used to influence and shape the wants and needs of the public. For example, if a politician is pushing for climate change legislation, they will deliberately structure their speech to change the public's mind and get them to be in favor of it. They could achieve this by only presenting the facts from their point of view, talking only about the benefits of their point of view, and distorting arguments against their points of view. Controlling information and shaping preferences is one way people exercise power. Steven Luke's arguments for the second and third dimensions of power are valid based on these descriptions and examples..