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Difficulty: HardPower: Definition, Sources, Forms, and Acquisition

A non-governmental advisory body sways legislative decisions on national economic policy by presenting parliamentary committees with specialized statistical modeling and empirical data, despite possessing no constitutional law-making mandate or enforcement sanctions. Which source of political power is the advisory body primarily exercising?

  1. Knowledge and technical expertiseAnswer
  2. B
    Statutory and constitutional mandate
  3. C
    Coercive force and physical sanctions
  4. D
    Customary tradition and hereditary privilege

Answer

Knowledge and technical expertise
The advisory body influences legislative decisions strictly through specialized research and technical data. In political science, when an actor shapes outcomes due to superior information or specialized competence rather than constitutional office or physical force, the source of power is knowledge and technical expertise.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the scenario to identify how the advisory body achieves compliance or political influence.
The body influences parliamentary decision-making by utilizing specialized statistical models and empirical data.
The mechanism of influence defines the underlying source of political power.
2
Distinguish between constitutional authority, coercive force, traditional legitimacy, and knowledge-based power.
The body lacks legal office (statutory authority), armed enforcement (coercion), or traditional lineage (customary power).
Eliminating non-applicable sources isolates the true basis of political impact.
3
Map the specific instrument of influence (specialized research and technical data) to the taxonomy of power sources.
Specialized data and technical competence represent power derived from knowledge and expertise.
Information dominance and technical skill allow non-state actors to direct state policy through persuasive authority.

Key Concept

Sources of Political Power (Knowledge/Expertise vs. Formal Authority)
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Power: Definition, Sources, Forms, and Acquisition

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