Mechanisms of Power
Politics & Government — The Architecture of Collective Power
The Central Idea
Physics asks: What controls matter? History asks: What happened to humans over time? Politics asks: Who gets to decide? It is the study of how collective power is organized, constrained, distributed, and exercised.
HUMAN GROUPS →
POWER →
AUTHORITY →
RULES →
LAW →
STATE →
CONSTITUTION →
CITIZEN →
REPRESENTATION →
ELECTION →
INSTITUTIONS →
FEDERALISM →
JUSTICE & RIGHTS →
IDEOLOGY & IDENTITY →
INTERNATIONAL POWER →
DEMOCRACY
POWER + INSTITUTIONS + RULES + PEOPLE + INTERESTS + IDEAS = POLITICAL OUTCOME
The 15 Political Realms
Complete School-to-Higher-Learning Framework
REALM 01
The Nature of Power
- Power vs Influence
- Authority & Legitimacy
- Coercion vs Consent
- Collective decision-making
The State
- Territory & Population
- Internal/External Sovereignty
- Government vs State
- Monopoly of legitimate force
The Social Contract
- Hobbes, Locke & Rousseau
- State of nature
- Consent & Natural rights
- Security vs Liberty
The Constitutional Machine
- Written/Unwritten Constitutions
- Separation of powers
- Checks and balances
- Indian Constitution at Work
The Citizen
- Birth & Naturalization
- Civil & Political rights
- Fundamental Rights/Duties
- Equality before law
The Electorate
- Representative democracy
- Universal adult franchise
- Electoral systems (FPTP, PR)
- Election Commission
Parliamentary Engine
- Legislature (Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha)
- Political vs Permanent Executive
- Prime Minister & Cabinet
- Law-making & Accountability
The Judicial Gate
- Judicial independence
- Integrated courts (SC/HC)
- Judicial review & PIL
- Activism vs Restraint
Federal Architecture
CENTRE
- Division of powers (Lists)
- Cooperative federalism
- Centre-state relations
- Local Government (Panchayats)
The Many Voices
- Political parties & Coalitions
- Pressure/Interest groups
- Social movements & NGOs
- Media & Public opinion
Struggle for Equality
- Positive vs Negative Liberty
- Equality of opportunity
- Social & Economic justice
- Affirmative action
Politics of Identity
- Caste, Class & Gender
- Religion, Language & Ethnicity
- Exclusion & Representation
- Identity politics
The Nation
★
- Nation vs State
- Civic vs Ethnic nationalism
- Secularism & Pluralism
- Constitutional identity
The Global Arena
- International relations
- Diplomacy & Balance of power
- United Nations & Treaties
- Global governance & Security
The Democratic Future
- Public Policy & Implementation
- Transparency & Accountability
- Digital democracy & Privacy
- Human development & Welfare