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The Anatomy of Power

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For prof. Galbraith there are three sorts of power (condign, compensating and conditioned) and three sources of power (personality, property and organization).
With these elements he sketches a historical evolution of the West from feudalism to capitalism, integrating as diverse aspects as politics, economics, religion, the family, the military, advertising, media and education.

This book was written in 1983, in a sometimes cynical tone, especially in the comments on politicians, businessmen and the military. It contains positive and negative elements.

The author predicted the omnipotence of the military and the intelligence organizations, as well as their obsessive need for a specific enemy.
He saw the rise of the organizational power, but not the fact that the influence of the transnational corporations would dwarf state and trade union power (see N. Hertz - The silent take-over).
A mistake is his underestimation of the power of the media and their message controlled by the powerful.
Also, the Darwinian aspect of power is not commented on.

But, this small book is still a very worth-while read.

Prof. Galbraith has surpassed himself in this book. Breaking power up into categories, he delves into sources of power, the evolution of power, projection and counter-action. The book is tightly written and the author provides plenty of historical examples to back it up. Written in the 1980s, it reflects the understanding of the time; specifically, Prof. Galbraith probably over-estimates military power and under-estimates the power of the press and the global corporation. But this takes little away from the deep insight in the book. One of the most powerful ideas in the book is that conditioning power, power which allows one to control how others think is the most insidious when it is hidden by a "solvent". One can extend this idea to understand how military power hides behind a facade of nationalism, and corporate power hides behind the efficient market hypothesis. By understanding how conditioning power, allied with the press works, we can get a 'under-the-hood' understanding of how modern society works. Absolutely recommended for everybody.