如果政治權力是一種命令者有意圖的以各種方式促使他人服從其對於有價值之資源的支配性分配活動，那麼如何建立政治的權力關係就成為最關鍵的焦點。《韓非子》認為道德性的權力關係在理論上雖然可能卻不可行，是以主張透過法令的制定以作為權力的形式要件。並以賞、罰為政治權力的實質要件，在以人情好利惡害為理論基礎下，透過權力者於發布命令時所挾帶的教育、經濟與武力之優勢資源，認定權力對象會選擇放棄抵抗而採取服從行為，權力關係由是建立。

Political power can be defined as “what the commanders purposefully do, by all means, to acquire public obedience to their allocation of resources.” Hanfeizi claims that a morality-based power relationship is theoretically possible, but not actually feasible. Instead, laws should be the core in a political power relationship. More specifically, by assuming that human beings are benefit-oriented and harm-aversive, commanders should make orders based on their advantages in education, economic status, and military power to punish and reward people. These orders will eventually replace resistance with obedience and construct a political power relationship.