How Does Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don't Work?

Power is like having a big remote control that lets you decide what happens in a game, some people have it, and others don’t.

Imagine you're playing with blocks. Power is like being the person who gets to choose the rules of the game. If you have power, you can say things like “We’ll build a castle, not a tower!” or “You have to wait your turn!”

Why Some People Have Power

Sometimes people get power because they are stronger or smarter, just like how the biggest kid in the class might be the one who picks the game. Or maybe they know something others don’t, like where the best blocks are hidden.

Why Others Don't

Other times, people don’t have power because they haven’t learned the rules yet, it’s like being a new player who doesn’t know how to use all the buttons on the remote. Or maybe someone else is holding the remote and won’t let them play.

Power isn’t fair, but that means you can learn how to get it too! Just like learning how to count, or how to stack blocks high without falling over.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. A teacher gives extra candy to students who help in class, making them popular and more likely to be chosen as leaders later.
  2. Rich families send their kids to the best schools, giving them a head start in life.
  3. Bosses often promote people they like, even if others are more qualified.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity

Categories: Science · power· inequality· leadership