Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Obedience is the heart of political power

          The relationship between command and obedience is always one of mutual influence and some degree of interaction. That is, command and obedience influence each other. Without the expected obedience by the subordinates (whether in the form of passive acquiescence or active consent) the power relationship is not complete, despite the threat or in-flection of sanctions.
          The reasons why people obey rulers are multiple, complex, variable, and interrelated. These reasons include the following.
* Habit
* Fear of sanctions
* Moral obligation------
* Self interest
* Psychological identification with the ruler
* Indifference
* Absence of self -confidence to disobey

All rulers use the obedience and cooperation they receive from part    
of the society in order to rule the whole. The part of the population that administers and enforces the rulers’ policies is most likely to obey and cooperate in those duties because of feeling of moral obligation and of personal self-interest, especially motives related to economic gain, prestige, and status.
          Most people in the general population obey from habit. Yet, the degree of obedience among the general population, even among these administrators and enforce, is never fixed, nor automatic, nor universal. Because the reasons for obedience are always variable, the degree of obedience is also variable, depending on the individuals concerned and on the social and political situation. In every society there are boundaries within which rulers must stay if their commands are to be obeyed and if the the population is to cooperate.
          Disobedience and noncooperation by the general populace are rarely undertaken lightly. Noncompliance usually is followed by punishments. However. Under certain circumstance, members of the population will become willing to endure the consequences of noncooperation and disobedience, including inconvenience, suffering, and disruption of their lives, rather than continue to submit passively or to obey rulers whose policies and actions can no longer be tolerated.
          When the reasons for obedience are weak, the rulers may seek to secure greater obedience by applying harsher sanctions or by offering increased rewards for obedience. However, even then, the results desired by the rulers are not guaranteed. A change in the population’s  will may lead to its withdrawing its service, cooperation, submission and obedience from the rulers.
          This withdrawal of cooperation and obedience under certain circumstances may also occur among the rulers’ administrators and agents of repression. Their attitudes and actions are especially important. Without their support, the oppressive system disintegrates.
          Being accustomed to widespread obedience and cooperation, rulers do not always anticipate generalized noncompliance and therefore often have difficulties handing strong disobedience and noncooperation.      

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