On the question regarding our notion of “power” as an applied political phenomenon, I intend to present the revelations regarding a misuse of power to highlight key elements of our discussion. As a case study, I would refer to the ABC News Article “Timeline: Accusations against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and calls for his resignation” by Marlene Lenthang, published March 11, 2021.
The article presents the constantly evolving events and from it we can see polity, policies, and politics as they are contributing to a paradigm shift.
First, on polity, we have the office that governs New York State in the United States, with the role of the governor as a fixed term stewardship. The election of the governor is central to the framework of political action, as it allows for power to limit and control power. No office is above the law nor above scrutiny by the population. It is also vital to the structure of the state that government workers in the state office do not have their rights infringed upon by the current leader of that state. The ability to speak out against such actions is vital to maintaining the integrity of the political sphere they uphold. Their true responsibility is to the population of New York State, as opposed to a leader, and public opinion is vital in shaping policies and politics.
The Paradigm Shift as Thomas Kuhn presents it occurs when more information calls for a new construct to include the emerging facts. Here we see the formation and emergence of the feminist reality as a policy, calling for more equality through politics.
The news article reports new information, shifting the paradigm in favor of fairer policies on women’s rights in all sectors. Failing to respond appropriately would undermine the legitimacy of this particular governing entity in a democratic society’s view. The call for possible resignation after an inquiry is policy in action, shaping the procedures and politics the population participates in.
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