THE CONCEPT OF NAKED POWER AND GOVERNANCE IN BERTRAND RUSSELL: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION

Abstract

This study examines the concept of naked power and governance as discussed by Bertrand Russell in his book titled, Power: A New Social Analysis. It adopted textual, expository and analytical method. The findings of the study revealed that naked power is a form of government or Authority. And it is a form of government or Authority that is dictatorial, authoritarian, military, bestial, flagrant and illegitimate. A government/authority that is brutish, violent, cruel and obtains obedience from the citizens through force,violence and so on without resorting to consultations or lobbying. A government that the fundamental rights of the citizens are infringed and trampled upon with impunity, and these characteristics could take place in any system/form of government in the society whether democratic or not. Therefore, it concluded that though naked power could be exercised in any form of government whether democratic, military or monarchical system, but for the power brokers/leaders in government to see man as an end in the art of governance.