When we speak of power we do not mean man's power over nature, or over means of production, or over himself, we actually mean man's control over the minds and actions of other men. When we speak of political power we refer to the mutual relations of control among the holders of public authority and people at large. Political power and physical force are two different things. When violence or physical force becomes the practical actuality it amounts to negation of power. Physical power can be an instrument of power but not power in any sense. Political power is a psychological relation between those who exercise it and those over whom it is exercised. It gives the former control over certain actions of the. Latter through the influence which the former exerts over the latter's mind.
Whatever the ultimate aim of international politics, power is always the immediate aim. The statesmen usually describe their goals in terms of religious, philosophic, economic or social ideal and may try to realize them through non-political means. But whenever they try to achieve these goals by means of international politics, they do so by resorting to power. "The crusaders wanted, to free the holy places from domination by the infidels. Woodrow Wilson wanted to make the world safe for democracy; the National Socialists wanted to open Eastern Europe to German colonization, to dominate Europe and to conquer the world. Since they all chose power to achieve these ends they were actors on the scene of international politics."
Whatever the ultimate aim of international politics, power is always the immediate aim. The statesmen usually describe their goals in terms of religious, philosophic, economic or social ideal and may try to realize them through non-political means. But whenever they try to achieve these goals by means of international politics, they do so by resorting to power. "The crusaders wanted, to free the holy places from domination by the infidels. Woodrow Wilson wanted to make the world safe for democracy; the National Socialists wanted to open Eastern Europe to German colonization, to dominate Europe and to conquer the world. Since they all chose power to achieve these ends they were actors on the scene of international politics."
