Power and politics in film essay example

The concept of power is complex based on the fact that it is mainly associated with entities such as wealth, politics, and authority. The concept behind the notion on power is the impact o influencing the actions or the decisions of others within the society. The indicated approach in relation to the respective effects of power and the influence reflected by the leaders to the followers stipulated the implications that the leaders provide within a given community. Researchers argue that leaders need power towards influencing others within an organization or a country. The notion that they are always on power indicates their capability to mobilize the board members, the stakeholders, and the employees among other players in a given organization or country (Jennings et al., 2011). Power largely influences people within a given community based on the role of the leaders towards reflecting the respective responsibilities. It facilitates the change of behaviors of individuals within a given society as facilitated by different factors. There are different sources of power likely to have different entities in relation to influence recorded in a given community. Some of these sources of power define the potential to influence others in relation to different levels. The sources of power are likely to be either soft power or hard power. The hard power embraces the coercion and the inducement but soft power mainly relies on the relational or the personal powers.
According to Avolio, (2007) power is normally synonymous with wealth based on the notion that money is normally used towards gaining the social prominence through different ways such as; bribe, support, cajole, or even blocking other forces towards one interest. The arguments presented by the researcher above indicates that the concept of power closely relate or connects to the concept of realism within the society. It is evident that power within a community is largely used as a sense of securing in embracing the logic that nobody will or even can influence or hurt the powerful person based on their respective abilities to hurt or even influence them (Avolio, 2007).
The notion of power in relation to politics is more evident in the society compared to other entities influenced by the concept. The notion attached to this argument aligns with the fact that in the current societal settings, people are more likely to be influenced by the approach on power due to the current perception and environment where those in power are largely influential. The previously argued concept indicating how wealth aligns with the notion on power aligns with the currently witnessed cases where those in power are wealthy and if not, they are highly funded by those with massive wealth with expected returns. Those powerful in the society currently tend to highly be influential due to the high the massive wealth that they have acquired within the society among other entities (Judge et al., 1999).
However, the efforts aimed at equalizing the people’s conditions are normally supported by movements that are normally less powerful seeking to gain power over those movements that have dominated them. Desire for power normally makes the entire project for those weak in the community impossible. Those who are in power especially in politics tend to be sadistic, power crazy, and also selfish. The notion attached on such entities is evident where the urge for the dominance on such entities seems unchangeable till the end of the world. This is supported on the human history in relation to the inquilinity and the hierarchy attached. The history of human being clearly indicates the respective implications attached to the notion of power and the impact in the political scene. According to Weiss, (2011) the respective implications attached to such arguments indicates how the community has largely been subjected to the respective forces of power in relation to creating an environment where those in power are wealthy and also highly influential based on the role within the community. The reasonable goal within the community which is normally aimed at limiting those who are in power and also induce them towards serving the common good as availed in the classical liberalism has not been achieved.
The analysis by Avolio, (2007) indicates that under the soft power approach, the ability of an individual to obtain what an individual wants via co option and attraction. The concept behind the use of this form of idea entails soft leader’s values, culture, institutions and also policies. The soft power strategy enables the leaders attract attention and is vital towards transforming individuals hence achieving the set developmental goals. Those embracing the idea argue that followers should not be commanded on what they should do but they should instead be directed on what that they are expected to do within a given setting. Some of the political leaders credited for using the concept of soft power are Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin via the use of certain myths of invincibility and inevitability hence attracting followers on joining their causes. However, leaders embracing this form or source of power tend to undermine the rights of followers as evident in history. Furthermore, the concept on soft power is essential concept in relation to the fact that the leaders are able to integrate and use culture, personal traits, and also values which are significant entities in relation to influential source for the attainment of the set objectives (Jennings and Sean 2011; Avolio, 2007).
On the other hand, under the hard power concept, a clear insight is drawn indicating that the political body’s ability to use the respective economic incentives or the military strength towards influencing the behaviors of others is availed. The concept entails the use of measures that are geared towards coercing or even threatening others towards executing different tasks within a society. The notion attached to this concept indicates the fact that those who are in power uses their power to threaten and coerce others to execute their desired entities in a given administrative setting (Jennings and Sean, 2011). The implications under such an environment indicate cases where the citizens or the people governed are denied the change to contribute on different entities in the society. The hard power impact on politics in relation to the impact to the society is evident in some of the countries where leaders have been accused of oppressing the minority towards their personal gains. However, despite the fact that hard power seems to have numerous impacts on the community compared to the soft power approach, it is evident that the concept on soft power is also capable of reflecting marginal impacts to the people within a given community (Jennings et al., 2011).
The proffered analysis above presents the two forms or sources of power used in the communities currently. These sources reflect marginal impacts in relation to their applicability and the results reflected to the community. The respective arguments attached to the proffered sources have been documented to reflect marginal implications in a given society as used by the leaders or powerful leaders to influence others in politics. Furthermore, the arguments attached to each of the proffered source largely depend on the respective leaders and how they use their powerful roles to influence others in a given community (Avolio, 2007).
This indicates that the type or the source of power may not directly define the implications as some of the politicians and leaders have used any of the proffered type of leadership to oppress and weaken the weaker communities in a given society. However, such developments are largely influenced by the power usage in a country by some of the leaders elected by the citizens to oversee development and growth in a given country. Their values and ethics define the effectiveness in executing the respective services within a given country. The use of either source of power determines the legitimacy and the credibility. For instance, under the hard power strategies which cannot take into account the given nation’s international impact are likely to have marginal consequences on the respective country. The question of a country’s credibility in the international community especially in case it deteriorates with attitudes of mistrust growing is likely to cause such a country marginal implications on the international community. These entities are evident in cases where the international community and some of the superpowers have facilitated the removal of such leaders executing activities that undermines the image of a give country to the international community as evident on Saddam Hussein (Stephanie, 2012).

The political power of Film: Traffic’s

The movie traffic was directed by Stephen Soderbergh and is based on a five part British series that largely mocks and indicates the reality behind the war on drugs, their production, trade, consumption and also the enforcement of the law. The movie indicates how the power impacts politics and other aspects in the society. For instance, the movie shows how a newly appointed drug detective discovers that the daughter is a drug addict, two of the drug enforcement agents on the other hand protect an informant plus how the Mexican cop drug enforcement cops are highly corrupt (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).
The movie indicates how the policy making and the reality behind the common assumptions tends to differ with what happens in realty. The movie has largely affected the press and the congress on the issue of drug policy debates. The movie played a critical role in the adjustment and the enactment of the policies addressing the issues related to drugs. Furthermore, the role of the politician and thee press in relation to addressing the issue of drug abuse is availed in the movie. It is evident those in power are influential in decision making especially in politics among other entities (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).

Impact of Lagaan; Once upon a time in India

The movie based on the Bollywood production avails a controversial plot in relation to the role of power on politics and the impact on the community especially the less fortunate within the community. The movie indicates how the Indians suffer in the hands of the evil and highly oppressive British Empire. The people within the community are forced to wage war against the British Empire towards acquiring freedom and establishing a more transparent and accountable country that offers the local community an opportunity to benefit from the local resources (Weiss, 2011).
The local community forms a cricket team that is aimed at defying the British and fortunately they are able to defeat the British team hence crushing the tax burden which is reduced for the next few years. The movie provides a controversial aspect by indicating the disked role of British Empire but also indicates how the British respects India such as British generals praising the skills of the Indian cricket team. The movie depicts a strong message on equality of the castes which is an issue that largely dominates India (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).
Those in power are likely to undermine the weak within the community as evident in the movie, the British oppresses and dominates the Indians who are weak within the community. They deny them some of the essential resources and the opportunity to rule themselves despite the capability among other entities. The Great Britain notion on ruling so many people within a given community indicates how the role of the power is reflected on the politics and resource distribution in the community. The weak are disregarded with those in power taking advantage of the less fortunate communities within the society to exploit and undermine their ability to rule themselves in a given community (Weiss, 2011).
The film provides a clear insight on the role of power in relation to undermining the weak in relation to the influence on politics. This indicates how the lack of regulatory authorities, people is likely to undermine the weak in the community who are not able to stand and fight for their rights.

References

Avolio, B. (2007). Promoting more integrative strategies for leadership theory- building. Journal of American Psychology , 25-33.
Avolio, B., & Gardner, W. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 16, 315-318.
Jennings, Peter L. Hannah, Sean T. (2011). The Moralities of Obligation and Aspiration: Towards a Concept of Exemplary Military Ethics and Leadership Journal
Judge, T. A., Higgins, C. A., Thoresen, C., & Barrick, M. R. 1999. The Big Five personality traits, general mental ability, and career success across the life span. Personnel Psychology 52: 621-652.
Judge, T. A., Thoresen, C. J., Bono, J. E., & Patton, G. K. 2001. The job satisfaction-job performance relationship: A qualitative and quantitative review. Psychological Bulletin, 127: 376-407.
Lagaan; Once Upon a time in India 2001
Stephanie R. 2012. (The Political power of film; Traffic’s impact on drug policy debates; 18 Jan 2012
Weiss, . J. W (2011). An introduction to leadership. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education , Inc