1.1.4

Preview: What words do you associate with the word ‘power’? Make a mind-map.

Power refers to when people have control over resources and have the ability to get what they want. These resources may be material, human, intellectual and/or financial. People who can get what they want may be able to:

• access something, like rights, job promotions or political leadership roles;
• do something, like make laws, start a business or marry whoever they want; or
• make someone else do something, like make certain decisions, perform labour or give up weapons.

Individuals, groups and countries have control over these types of resources and have the ability to get what they want to varying degrees. They may therefore be powerful to different extents. Power is not equally distributed because it depends on relationships and circumstances. This leads to imbalances of power in communities and in society. Imbalances of power can be seen in large systems and structures.

Those systems and structures create privileged and less privileged groups in communities and in society. Privilege is an advantaged position that gives a person access to power based on their group membership. This membership is typically in a majority group. In other words, they get access to power based on who they are, rather than what they have done or could do to earn that access to power. Members of other groups are disadvantaged because they do not have this privilege. These groups are typically minority groups.

Having privilege is not inherently bad. It depends on if members of a privileged group use their access to power and how that affects disadvantaged groups. Members of a privileged group can use their access to power either against members of a disadvantaged group or in support of them.

Reflection/Discussion

• What identities do you have that you consider to be majority identities?
• How do you feel about these identities?
• Do you have any advantages because of any majority identities? If yes, which advantages?

Myth or Reality?

Activity:

There are some common beliefs about power and privilege. Read the following common beliefs and identify if you think each is a myth (false) or a reality (true).

1. People who belong to a majority group with privilege cannot face hardships.
2. All people who have privilege are aware of it.
3. The situation of disadvantaged groups could improve if privileged groups used their privilege to support disadvantaged groups.
4. All majority groups are privileged.
5. There are some people who hold all of the power and other people are powerless.
6. It is useful for people to be aware of any privilege that they have.
7. Members of privileged groups never care about members of disadvantaged groups.
8. Members of disadvantaged groups can never have anything in common with privileged groups.
9. Members of disadvantaged groups will never improve their situation, but will remain disadvantaged forever.