The Political Dynamics of People's Power

Abstract

This paper, by focusing on political dynamics, traces the roots and trajectories of the people’s power. People’s power refers to the capacity of the people to chart social circumstances that are consonant with their own aspirations. It entails the realization of the people themselves of their own power to make history. It was people’s power which overthrew Marcos from Malacañang and which installed Corazon Aquino. It would also be people’s power which could prevent another dictatorship from coming into power. People’s power will continue to be a meaningful force in society only if the masses would constitute themselves into self-organized groups capable of collectively voicing their demands and interests. The paper thus argues for a more organized form of people’s power, through people’s organizations and self-management institutions, in order to facilitate the process of popular participation in every aspect of society. More importantly, their presence would serve as a countervailing mechanism to the possible abuse and corruption of state power by deterring traditional politicians from bringing back the old politics of intra-elite competition.