House of Cards: Power in the Modern State
Capacity, Mills, power, power elite, religion, state
By Ashley Vandehey
Capacity, Mills, power, power elite, religion, state
By Ashley Vandehey
Episode Summary
Frank
has a secret meeting in a church late at night, the same day that he makes a
presidential decision that cost the lives of American Navy SEALs (an event
which draws similarities to Operation Neptune Spear, carried out by SEAL team
Six). The man Frank is speaking with, a military priest, tells him he was not
chosen to rise to power and greatness. Then, pointing at the crucifix of Jesus
says, "He is the only chosen one.” The man leaves and Frank goes to look
up to Jesus wherein he says, "Love, that's what you're selling. Well I
don't buy it." Frank then spits on Jesus.
When he goes to wipe it off the
figure comes crashing down and shatters all around Frank. As he leaves the
church he takes the broken ear of the figure and says, "Well I've got
God's ear now."
Analysis
The
Netflix television series House of Cards
can do just about whatever it likes since it is not affiliated with a network;
this includes addressing faith and religion with a certain vehemence that is
not found in traditional network television series. House of Cards is able to confront the intersection of politics and
faith like no other. This scene captures power dynamics relative to both the
series and state governance. In it we see Frank’s true ethos to power. For a
brief moment in this scene, we witness what could be the rediscovery of Frank’s
moral compass (since we’re all fairly sure he lost his). But once alone, he
commits what a shocking display of sacrilege that would never have been shown
on network television. The fact that an episode, and a scene, like this alone
cannot be broadcast on network television but through Netflix is additionally
telling to who has power over the media. It is also incredibly symbolic towards
where power is held in the modern state.
On a microanalysis level, this scene
further shows that the character Frank does not allow any outer power or agenda
to surpass or interfere with his own. He worships his own power and capacity to
fulfill he wants and needs, and refuses to rely on anyone else. I believe that
is because when you rely on someone else, you are inadvertently giving them
power over you. Kant referred to true enlightenment as thinking for oneself
without needing the guidance of others, so in that respect Frank could be seen
as wholly enlightened. Foucault believed that there is a deep and intimate
connection between power and knowledge that makes their influence effective. Power
in this respect coincides with Marx and Webber’s definition, in that it is the
realization of one’s will despite the resistance of others, or in this scene,
despite the gospels of Jesus. This scene coincides with another from Season 1
Chapter 13 where Frank says that he prays to himself, for himself. To Frank,
his capacity, or ability to possess and carryout power and tasks, is greater
than all those around him—save perhaps his wife Claire. The Gospel of Frank
Underwood is that power is power, and he can whip anyone to his will whether
they’re aware of it or not.
The cinematography is expressing the
power struggle between the modern roles of church and state. For centuries,
before the rise of the modern state with the Treaty of Westphalia, the clergy
held a majority of power both in government and personal lives. In Wells’s
book, “The Power Elite” he dedicates chapters to relevant sources of power in
the United States. Not one of these chapters is entitles The Clergy, or The
Church, which I believe is truly relevant to the cycle of power dynamics in
human history. Had a book on the power elite been written 200 years ago, the
church would have without a doubt been a major influencer and propagator of
power. The church and religion (at least in a Western context) has lost a lot
of the power and influence it once had, while we see the rise of celebrity as a
guide to moral behavior.
References
Gates,
T., & Eason, L. (2015). Chapter 30 [episode 4]. In House of Cards.
Netflix.
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