LK BA5/C1: PS LK - Politische Theorie und Ideengeschichte -Hannah Arendt WiSe 2010

Universität Wien
Institut für Politikwissenschaft

Übung 3 (Handout)
Hannah Arendt (2003): Macht und Gewalt, München – Zürich, 15. Auflage, S. 36-58

Winter Semester 2010
Lv-Leiter: Matthias Falter

About the Author: Hannah Arendt (October 14, 1906 – December 4, 1975) was an influential German Jewish political theorist. Arendt's work deals with the nature of power, and the subjects of politics, authority, and totalitarianism. Power and Violence: * Historically viewed, violence is not looked at as a single phenomenon. It was believed that force and power are synonymous (p. 36) * Force considered as the most blatant manifestation (form) of power. (p. 36) * In a constitutional state with parliamentary representation, the population controls the state, therefore has power. The power of the state declines as soon as it loses support of its nation. (p. 42) * Power depends on numbers and figures, whereas violence depends on numbers to only a certain extent because it depends more on the tools of violence. * Extreme case of power: All against one (p. 43) * Extreme case of violence: One against all (not possible without violent tools and instruments) (p. 43) * Reason why the keywords power, force, strength, authority and violence are used synonymous in political science is because the relevant question is “who rules whom?” (p. 45) * Power corresponds to the human ability not just to act but to act in concert. Power is never the property of an individual. (p. 45) * Strength, as opposed to power, is possessed by a single entity, may it be a thing or a person. Force does not stand a chance against power. (p.45) * Force, should be reserved, in terminological language, for the "forces of nature" or the "force of circumstances," (p. 46) * Authority can be vested in persons or it can be vested in offices. Its hallmark is unquestioning recognition by those who are asked to obey; neither coercion nor persuasion is needed. (p. 46) * Violence is distinguished by its instrumental character. * Resorting to violence is usually seen as the worst case scenario or the last way out in politics. Power is considered as a façade behind which violence is hiding in disguise. (p.47) * Power does not need any justification. But it demands legitimacy. (p. 53) * Violence can be justified but it can never be legitimate. * Terror and Violence are not the same. Terror does not only attack its enemies, but even friends and followers. (p. 57) * Violence comes when power has been lost. But it can never create power.