The Grammar of Social Power

Power-to, Power-with, Power-despite and Power-over

Bibliographic Data

ID6344726
AuthorsArash Abizadeh (0000-0002-8271-5194, McGill University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume71
Issue1
Pages3-19
Publication date2023-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitical Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0032-3217 • E-ISSN: 1467-9248
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0032321721996941
PMID36741856
OpenAlexW3137093276
LanguageEN
Citations received25
References cited43

There are two rival conceptions of power in modern sociopolitical thought. According to one, all social power reduces to power-over-others. According to another, the core notion is power-to-effect-outcomes, to which even power-over reduces. This article defends seven theses. First, agential social power consists in a relation between agent and outcomes (power-to). Second, not all social power reduces to power-over and, third, the contrary view stems from conflating power-over with a distinct notion: power-despite-resistance. Fourth, the widespread assumption that social power presupposes the capacity to overcome resistance is false: social power includes the capacity to effect outcomes with others’ assistance. Fifth, power-with can be exercised via joint intentional action, strategic coordination and non-strategic coordination. Sixth, agential social power is best analysed as a capacity to effect outcomes, with the assistance of others, despite the resistance of yet others. Seventh, power-over and power-with are not mutually exclusive: each can ground the other

Power (physics · Resistance (ecology · Sociology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Psychology

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