To the issue of the nature of political power

Abstract

It is emphasized by the author that the difficulties of the protracted transition period and the modern external and internal challengesfor Ukraine’s statehood, which more than ever require an effective and efficient public power, pressingly actualize the problemsof the nature of political power. The purpose of the article is to study the nature of political power and to clarify its structure and sources.Analyzing various definitions of power, the author draws attention to the consideration of power as a social phenomenon, as theability to subordinate the behavior and activities of people to the will of the whole society. This approach distinguishes the concept ofpower among other sociological categories. It is stressed that power is a volitional public relation, however, the will of the subject isalmost always determined by his or her interests.The essence of power is single, it is expressed by the dependence between the need to realize the interests of the subjects and thepossibility of their realization, controlled by the bearers of the dominant interests and expressing their dominant will. Structurally,power includes three essential elements: the dominant interest, the dominant will, expressing it, and the means of securing this dominance.Coercion as a means of securing the dominant interest and the dominant will, expressing it, is an indispensable indication ofpower. The degree of coercion can be different, from direct violence and suppression to the mere availability of the means of coercionand the potential threat of its use.Characterizing the qualities of power, the author considers its content basis, in addition to the essential one. Power manifests itselfnot only in violence, but also in the organization of common work, in social management. Power is the essence of administration. Theimpact of public administration on social processes is determined by the logic of the movement of interests of the corresponding modeof production.The issues of integrity of power, unity of power and separation of powers are considered. It is emphasized that the strength ofthe relationship of interests, power and administration is constantly measured by the outcome of the struggle of interests in the foundationsof civil society.It is proved that public administration is a relationship between the need to form the realization of the interests of members of astate-organized society and the opportunities that the state provides them as an official representative of society.