Archive for May 9th, 2007
THE BASES OF POWER
Image source: IndoProgress.com
By Beni Bevly
People often say president Soeharto is a dictator, Gus Dur (Adurrahman Wahid) is a democrat and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is a compromiser. Basically, all these statements are referring the political power and the power that arises from different bases.
To have better understanding of power, French and Raven in “The Bases of Social Power,” Studies in Social Power, 1959 proposed that power arises from five different bases and each involves a different approach to influencing others:
Reward power
One has reward power to the extent that he or she obtains compliance by promising or granting rewards.
Gus Dur allowed the celebration of Chinese New Year as one of the ways to obtain compliance of a democratic Indonesia.
Coercive power
Threat of punishment and actual punishment give an individual coercive power.
During his administration, Soeharto used this type of power most of the time. Since the beginning he, through his instruments, had killed about 1 million people and then consistently kidnapped, arrested, tortured and killed his opponents.
Legitimate power
This base of power is anchored to one’s formal position or authority. Thus, individuals who obtain compliance primarily because of their formal authority to make decisions have legitimate power. Legitimate power may express itself either a positive or negative manner in managing people.
Positive legitimate power focuses constructively on job performance. Negative legitimate power tends to be threatening and demeaning to those being influenced. Its main purpose is to build the power holder’s ego.
Soeharto created and received SUPERSEMAR from Soekarno in 1966 to legitimize his position as a new president.
Expert power
Valued knowledge or information gives an individual expert power over those who need such knowledge or information.
As an Indonesian freedom fighter, Soekarno seemed claiming himself as an expert in fighting neo colonialism that brought him to be called as the Father of National Revolution.
Referent power
Also called charisma, referent power comes into play when one’s personality becomes the reason for compliance.
Soekarno set himself as a role model that resulted he had referent power over those who identify closely with them.
Where does SBY fit into? According to my opinion, he tends to use and combine these five different bases of power. For examples, he won the election because of using referent power, from where he got the legitimate power. When he runs his administration, he utilizes reward power by recruiting his opponents.
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*Beni Bevly holds BA in Political Science, MBA in Marketing, and is a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) candidate. He is the founder of Overseas Think Tank for Indonesia.
