Difference between revisions of "Power structure"
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
A '''Power Structure''' is a social organization (especially those with a hierarchy) in which control of the actions of the group's members is not evenly distributed; in other words, some members of the group have more control (i.e. power) than others. | A '''Power Structure''' is a social organization (especially those with a hierarchy) in which control of the actions of the group's members is not evenly distributed; in other words, some members of the group have more control (i.e. power) than others. | ||
| − | Examples of power structures include: governments, businesses, churches. Even in the most egalitarian organizations there will usually be some form of power structure as it is both a natural human tendency and a reasonable solution to the complex problem of making decisions in a group. | + | Examples of power structures include: governments, businesses, churches. Even in the most egalitarian organizations there will usually be some form of power structure as it is both a natural human tendency and a reasonable solution to the complex problem of making decisions in a group. Indeed, probably any group of two or more people includes a power structure of some kind -- but it is important to note that it is a particular *characteristic* of such groups, and is present in amounts which do not necessarily correlate with the size of the group. |
| + | |||
| + | Power structures are not inherently evil or bad. What can be a problem is when the maintenance of the power structure begins to take up more and more of the group's resources, or even becomes the main reason for the group's existence, any original purpose being relegated to the level of being an [[Power Structure Meme|excuse]] for the group's activities. | ||
Revision as of 00:04, 7 June 2005
A Power Structure is a social organization (especially those with a hierarchy) in which control of the actions of the group's members is not evenly distributed; in other words, some members of the group have more control (i.e. power) than others.
Examples of power structures include: governments, businesses, churches. Even in the most egalitarian organizations there will usually be some form of power structure as it is both a natural human tendency and a reasonable solution to the complex problem of making decisions in a group. Indeed, probably any group of two or more people includes a power structure of some kind -- but it is important to note that it is a particular *characteristic* of such groups, and is present in amounts which do not necessarily correlate with the size of the group.
Power structures are not inherently evil or bad. What can be a problem is when the maintenance of the power structure begins to take up more and more of the group's resources, or even becomes the main reason for the group's existence, any original purpose being relegated to the level of being an excuse for the group's activities.