In IB Global Politics (SL and HL), power is the contested ability of an actor to influence behaviour, shape structures, or produce desired outcomes. It operates through coercion, attraction, resources, relationships, institutions, or collective action.
How Power Is Understood
Power is not simply possessed. Its effectiveness depends on context, relationships, resistance and perceived legitimacy.
| Understanding of power | Meaning and contemporary example |
|---|---|
| Power over | Control over another actor. In Afghanistan, after August 2021, the Taliban used law and coercion to restrict women's secondary and university education. |
| Power to | The capacity to achieve outcomes. After Russia's February 2022 invasion, Ukraine mobilized institutions, citizens and external aid to prevent the capture of Kyiv. |
| Power with | Influence through cooperation. Sweden's March 2024 accession made NATO a 32-member alliance, strengthening collective security. |
| Relational power | Actor A changes actor B's behaviour. Western sanctions after 2022 sought to alter Russian policy by restricting finance, technology and trade. |
| Structural power | Control over decision-making systems. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, applied since 2018, compelled multinational technology companies to change data practices. |
Power can also be hard power, using coercion or payment; soft power, using attraction and persuasion; or smart power, combining both strategically. Ukraine combined military resistance with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's diplomatic appeals after 2022.
Power may be economic, political, social or cultural. Examples include United States financial sanctions, a permanent member's United Nations Security Council veto, the 2019 global climate strikes, and South Korea's promotion of K-pop.
Exam Technique
A common misconception is that power means only military strength. In an IB response, define power as contested, identify the classification, explain its mechanism, and apply a specific contemporary example. For examine or evaluate, consider effectiveness, resistance, and links to legitimacy, sovereignty and interdependence. Reach a supported judgment.
