Lessons in power & authority

The same incidence had me ponder over concept of Power. (i am totally smitten by this concept and see power relations everywhere). Anyway...

Traffic was blocked and  some kind volunteers took charge of the situtation. and the bottleneck was resolved in no time.Had a policeman done the same, it would seem very natural to a student of political sociology. but here these were ordinary  men ( yes no woman was involved), one from upper middle class and one perhaps a kiosk owner. nobody wore uniform, didn't have a baton, whistle or the usual paraphernalia . Yet everyone obeyed sans any objection. 

How does this happen?  obeying government or institutional rules is very natural ( power of the state).. we are conditioned to do so..but what makes us obey fellow citizens who have no special authority or visible power than us? what is the source of such unusual or un-obvious power? is it because we have been taught to follow someone, that we have internalised obedience? is this type of Hegemony infused in our souls? Why do we need control? 

Will the situation be different in a liberal society? and it unfolded in a certain way because Indian society is a command society? In the concerned situation, people obeyed  a stranger because it was in their interest. so his momentary  power was respected. it would be interesting too see if such power can be exercised in an event of great opposition.

Time to find answer to these questions!!

Rains,Ttraffic Jam and Views on Human Nature

It was a rainy evening. I was returning home from the gym which is far. The rain had slowed down the traffic..it was past 7.30 in the evening..peak traffic hour..i set out on my scooty from  senapati bapat road..touched law college road and found long  (over 1.5 km) line of vehicles...i quickly changed course and escaped from a bylane..only to arrive at another junction that was blocked too...i tried getting away from every tiny lane i knew but alas..why did i underestimate murphy! there were cops everywhere though!!

Finally i had to get blocked..this was a small square near nal stop, always crowded. Indians hate any wastage of space therefore every person was pushing forward his/ her vehicle in inches of space made available by snail paced traffic..voila! further blockade!! And as anticipated traffic came to a standstill..

Meanwhile i was pondering about the  views on Human Nature by Hobbes, and Locke.. in front of me i was seeing a state of anarchy where selfish human beings were 'fighting' for survival (metaphor to get out of the jam asap!!!).little understanding of the situation and lacked patience and thus made matters worse for all..
but very soon i saw a couple of persons getting out of their cars to manage the chaos..my  thoughts switched to the liberal view of human nature! - wow here i see Locke's cooperative, peaceful, positive human beings!!..hmmmm interesting to see contradictory views on human nature within a short span of time...

I concluded that humans are selfish and will always try to benefit themselves. Yet in an event where there is little hope and where collective action is inevitable, they will come together for mutual benefit.
The next question was whether humans need control or are they self governing, rational individuals. Hobbesian vehicles need to be controlled...as soon as Samaritans wore shoes of  of traffic police,..traffic was streamlined in no time.

So i infer that humans need basic regulation..but even though it may be absent, eventually humans will devise systems where controll is exercised.Iit seems inevitable and a natural progression.
( I have taken a big risk of drawing general conclusion on the basis of a minuscule sample..but i think its ok to sort myself ideationally)

Fnally i reached home after 90 minutes as against usual 45!! Only to be happy that i had 'witnessed ' something taught in theory classes!!!