Importance of Power Relations

The term 'power' is a term that at first glance would seem easy to explain but may require deep reflection. When we think of power, we usually think of political power, the one that is located above us and that makes decisions for us (the citizens), representing us to a greater or lesser degree. However, this is not the only type of power and it is important to clarify it to understand its importance.

Power relations have existed since the first human societies

To understand what power is and why it is important, we must understand that it has always existed, in all types of human societies (and also in communities). animals). Power relations are established between two or more individuals and suppose the dominance of one over the other. Although these relationships can often be established based on needs (for example, the need that someone makes decisions for another that they cannot), can often imply a very big.

In the case of human being, power began to be established in the last periods of prehistory, when the subjects began to settle in fixed areas and the division of tasks made some

people They deal with certain activities of greater importance and others with others less recognized. This differentiation was not natural and implied that slowly those who had more power dominated the rest.

Power is not only political: clarifying this is important to understand our behavior

So far, we understood political power. But it is necessary to lend attention to the fact that power is a phenomenon that is present in all human relationships: in the family, in the couple, in friendships, in brotherhood, at work. In a relationship of two or more people, there will always be someone who acts as a leader and who decides for the others, to a greater or lesser extent, more or less explicitly.

Power is almost an intrinsic element to human life, which supposes a predisposition towards dominance over the other. In this sense, there are hardly any experiences in which a community of equals has been able to be maintained for a long time in the history but always some person or group of people should have stood out above the rest. The importance then lies in recognizing that power is a characteristic phenomenon of social relations and that many times it can be dangerous, but many other times it is necessary.

Images: Fotolia – Edhar / Robin