Why we do need a concept of power

ABSTRACT Dowding’s new edition of RCPP includes an original reflection on the task of conceptual analysis, where he argues against the need to provide a formal definition of power. In doing so, he endorses a strong anti-essentialist view on the definition of political concepts and resorts to a reductionist conception of power based on the notion of power-resources. In this article, I investigate the implications of Dowding's position for the understanding of the concept of power and I discuss the relation between power and power-resources. I conclude by providing reasons in favor of conceptual definition and by arguing, pace Dowding, that we need a concept of power.