Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Philippine Politics and Governance

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: HUMSS Grade 12
Module 3 – Pol Sci Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

MODULE 3:
POWER | NATION, STATE, AND GLOBALIZATION
What is your own concept of power? Is it something related to the abilities of super heroes?
You must remember that power has different manifestation in politics. You will encounter in
this module how control and influence are related to power and how are they manifested in
real life. You will also be introduced to the types and sources of power, and forms of authority.

Learning Objectives:
A. define power and authority;
B. differentiate nation and state;
C. distinguish influence and control as a concept of power;
D. identify different sources of power;
E. differentiate different forms of authority; and
F. identify forms of globalization and its application

WHAT IS POWER?

Power is generally referred to as the ability to do something and achieve desired outcome. In
politics, power is all about control and influence which are used to achieve a certain agenda.
Both terms imply manipulation but it can be manifested in different ways.

Control imposes force on someone to do something he/she does not want to do. Influence
uses persuasion; it aids in changing the mindset or attitude of someone that renders him/her
to be obedient or do something without hesitation.

TYPES OF POWER
1. Expert Power – based on the perception
that the leader possesses some special
knowledge, skills, or talents and expertise.
2. Referent Power – based on the follower’s
liking, admiring, or identifying with the leader.
3. Reward Power – based on the leader’s
capacity to mediate rewards for the followers.
4. Legitimate Power – based on the follower’s
perception that the leader has the legitimate
right or authority to exercise control or
influence over him or her.
5. Coercive Power – based on the follower’s
fear that non-compliance with leader’s wishes
or commands will lead to punishment.

Page 1 of 6
 Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Philippine Politics and Governance
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: HUMSS Grade 12
Module 3 – Pol Sci Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

SOURCES OF POWER
1. Authority – It is the right to enforce obedience without question
and it exists without the imposition of sanctions. Authority usually
AUTHORITY has legal bases.
2. Human resources – It refers to the number of persons who
HUMAN RESOURCES willingly render obedience and cooperation to someone.
3. Skills, knowledge, and talents – Someone assumes power
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE because he/she is believed to have expertise on something or
has special abilities.
PSYCHOLOGICAL 4. Psychological factors – It refers to habits and attitudes toward
obedience and submission, usually given voluntarily.
MATERIAL RESOURCES 5. Material resources – The degree to which a person controls
property, natural resources, financial resources, the economic
SANCTIONS system, the means of communication, and transportation.
6. Sanctions – The punishments for not rendering obedience.

“Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

- Lord Acton -

It is a matter of the degree to which some or all of these sources of power are present: only
rarely, if ever, are all of them completely available to a ruler or completely absent. To the
degree that the sources of power are available without limitation, the ruler’s power is

AUTHORITY
Power is a prime ingredient of politics (Roskin et.al., 2012). In political realm, power is exercised
in the state where authority is granted on the government. Authority is power recognized as
legitimate (legal) which is why the government can enforce obedience without question. It is
significant to note, however, that the legitimacy of someone’s power may not be always
come from the laws, it can come from other sources.

TYPES OF AUTHORITY
1. Traditional Authority
Authority is based on acceptance of and high regard of traditions and customs. This is why
religious figures or leaders are respected and obeyed. Monarchies are examples of this type.
2. Rational-legal Authority
Authority is based on established law. People obey the leader because they accept his/her
power under the law.
3. Charismatic Authority
Authority is based on personal characteristics of a leader, whose qualities are considered to
be exceptional.
4. Coercive Authority
Authority is based on the use of force such as police or military force to demand obedience
from the subordinate.

Page 2 of 6
 Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Philippine Politics and Governance
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: HUMSS Grade 12
Module 3 – Pol Sci Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

WHAT IS A STATE?

It is a political/legal group; refers to a community of persons more or less numerous,

permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, having a government of their own and
enjoying freedom from external control. *A state has four elements. The absence of any of the
following elements renders a group to be disqualified as a state.

1. People
Also known as population or inhabitants. There is no definite number of people set for a state.
However, constitutional scholars state that the people should have the following
characteristics for it to become a state.
a. Enough number to perform the functions of the state.
b. Self-perpetuating; it should have the capacity to procreate to sustain its existence.

2. Territory
Refers to the portion of earth occupied and inhabited by the people. It should be permanent
and specific in its dimension. Hence, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) was created to define the rights and responsibilities of countries over their territories.
a. Components of Territory:
a.1 Aerial Domain – Refers to air space above the land and the waters.
a.2 Terrestrial Domain – Refers to fixed portion of the land over which the jurisdiction of
the state extends.
a.3 Fluvial and Maritime Domain – Refers to bodies of water within, between, and
around the lands.
b. Ways of Acquiring Territory
b.1 Discovery and occupation – oldest method of acquiring territory; intentional
acquisition of the territory which is not owned by any state.
b.2 Prescription – continued occupation by state of a territory over a long period of
time; there is no standard year for prescription but scholars argue that prescription
should last for 50 years.
b.3 Subjugation and annexation – acquiring territory by the use of force; it is manifested
in conquest or colonization. Conquered territories are annexed by the conquerors to
his/her state.
b.4 Cession - transfer of territory usually by treaty from one state to another; it may also
be in the form of exchange of territory or in the form gift or donation or devise.
b.5 Accretion – adding portions of territory through human labor or natural activity
(avulsion).

3. Government
A mechanism of the state, through which the will of the people is expressed, formulated, and
carried out; it is the “working arm” of the state. It performs the following functions:
a. Constituent Function – maintenance of order and security in the state by crafting and
enforcing laws; this function is mandatory.
b. Ministrant Function – promotion of the welfare of the state by providing projects
sponsored by the government; this function is optional.

Page 3 of 6
 Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Philippine Politics and Governance
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: HUMSS Grade 12
Module 3 – Pol Sci Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

4. Sovereignty
The ability of the state to self-rule or to govern itself and is free from any foreign control.
a. Types of Sovereignty:
a.1 Internal Sovereignty (Domestic) – ability to enforce rules and policies within its
territory or jurisdiction.
a.2 External Sovereignty (International) – also know as independence, it is the
freedom of the state from external control.
b. Elements of Sovereignty:
b.1 Dominium – The ability of the state to own and acquire lands and resources within
its territory.
b.2 Imperium – The ability of the state to enforce its will on the people.

THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE

1. Divine Origin Theory – The oldest theory of the state; believes that the state was God’s
creation and the leaders of the state (such as the kings) were appointed by God. It is the basis
of the divine rights of the monarchs.
2. Force Theory – Asserts that the state was a product of continuous warfare and conquest;
the conquerors become the leaders while the conquered become the subordinates.
3. Evolution Theory – Believes that the state came from families that group into bigger groups
of people such as tribes and community.
4. Social Contract Theory – Stipulates that the state is create as a result of man’s entering into
a contract which lessens his freedom and privileges and in return will provide the man of what
he needs.

INHERENT POWERS OF STATE

1. Police Power
The power of promoting the public welfare by restraining and regulating the use of both liberty
and property of all the people. It is considered to be the most all-encompassing of the three
powers. Police power can be exercised only by the government and is justified by the
philosophy of the following Latin maxims:
a. Salus populi suprema lex – the welfare of the people is the supreme law.
b. Sic utere ut alienum non laedas – use your property in such a manner as not to injure
that of another.

2. Eminent Domain
The power of taking property, upon payment of just compensation, for conversion of such
property to public use or purpose. It may be exercised by the government and some private
persons or corporations who are authorized to exercise functions of public character. The
power of eminent domain can be exercised under the following conditions:
a. Presence of private property – the power of eminent domain concerns the things
owned by individuals and not by the state.
b. Necessity of taking – the taking of the private property must be justified by the purpose
of public use or utility.
c. Having just compensation – the property taken from its owner must be paid with fair and
adequate equivalent.

Page 4 of 6
 Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Philippine Politics and Governance
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: HUMSS Grade 12
Module 3 – Pol Sci Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

3. Taxation
The power to impose tax on individuals and properties to support the government. Tax refers
to compulsory monetary contribution that will be used for public expenditure. Tax is the
lifeblood of the government. Without tax, the government cannot perform its functions. The
degree of tax depends on every state. However, taxation has three general features:
a. Uniform Taxation – persons belonging to the same class shall be taxed at the same rate.
b. Equitable Taxation – tax burden must be imposed according to the taxpayers’ capacity.
c. Progressive Taxation – as the resources of the taxpayer becomes higher, his rates likewise
increase.

WHAT IS A NATION?

As described in the earlier lessons, nation is a cultural entity; a large group of people bound
together by common culture, language, history, and descent. It is an aggregation of men
speaking the same language, using the same customs, processing historic continuity, and
disguised from other like groups by their racial origin and characteristics.

ELEMENTS OF A NATION
The following elements make up a nation:
1. Shared Similarities
These similarities may be demographic characteristics such as language, descent, and
religion, or may be common culture or historical experiences.
2. Feeling of Community
People in a group perceive that their shared similarities binds them together into one unified
entity. This makes the people still connected even though they were dispersed into the
different areas or regions of the earth. An example of this are the OFWs.

NATIONALISM VS PATRIOTISM (George Orwell)

Nationalism Similarities Patriotism

• Ethnocentric • Relativist
Sentimental feeling or
• Aggressive (hostile to • Passive (peace seeking)
attachment to
enemies) • Acknowledges the flaws
homeland; love for one’s
• Does not tolerate criticism and attempts to correct
own country; does not
and justifies shortcomings mistakes
tolerate
• Resorts to rivalry and • Believes in friendly
imperialism/colonization.
resentment relations

POLYSTATE NATION AND MULTINATIONAL STATE

The Arab Nation is not a state but a nation which consists of several states, such as Saudi
Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. On the
other hand, the United States of America is a state and not a nation but it consists of several
nations such as Caucasian, African, Chinese and Indian nations.

Page 5 of 6
 Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Philippine Politics and Governance
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: HUMSS Grade 12
Module 3 – Pol Sci Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

NATION-STATE
It is the integration of the state and the nation. Therefore, nation-state would exist if nearly all
the members of a single nation were organized in a single state. As an entity, its strength relies
on the fusion of both the cultural and political aspects.

Most of the modern countries we have today are nation-states since it is easier to govern a
state with people having homogenous culture and race. Many multinational states are born
out of colonization or conquest.

WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION?
As the time passes, more and more countries are opening their doors to other countries in
terms of economy, culture, and politics. Overtime, restrictions between states are eased which
made it easier for ideas, practices, people, and products to cross borders. We become more
connected and linked globally. This is what we call as globalization. It refers to global
interconnectedness; a process through which societies have become so intertwined or
interconnected that events and decisions in one part of the world have significant effects on
the lives of people in the other parts of the world.

DIMENSIONS OF GLOBALIZATION
Interconnectedness of countries and states have different faces or manifestations:

1. Economic Globalization
All economies have been integrated in a global community where there are less economic
barriers, and more capital flowing freely between countries.
Example: International production, financial capital flowing freely between countries

2. Cultural Globalization
Implies an increased cultural interconnectedness across the globe, principally as a result of
the mass media, leading to similar life patterns in different parts of the globe
Example: Kpop fever, use of Facebook, patronage on foreign culture

3. Political Globalization
Nation-states recognize the importance of international organizations. These organizations
such as United Nations, World Trade Organization, etc., have influence on domestic issues.
Example: Influence on domestic issues of organizations such as the United Nations, World Trade
Organization, World Bank, Asian development Bank, and International Red Cross

REFERENCES:
• Campanilla, M. & Dannug, R. (2003). Politics, Governance and Government with Philippine
Constitution: C & E Publishing, Inc.
• Heywood, A. (2002). Politics Second Edition: Palgrave Macmillan
• Malets, O. (2017). Globalization, Governance, and the Nation-State: An Overview.
Economic Sociology The European Electronic Newsletter

Page 6 of 6