Countervailing Factors

Power logic enters a crisis when those involved think and feel according to other logics of relationship—as a community of mutual respect and shared responsibility. Whether and to what extent mutual respect exists can depend on many factors, including personal experience, situational conditions, and a strong social movement against absolute power. The more broadly resources are distributed in a society, the better its chances of preventing or countering the concentration of power.

Pursuing counterpower is an obvious counterstrategy against (imperialist) power and is often unavoidable. However, counterpower also exhibits the typical features of power and power-based thinking. Only when those involved jointly recognize and effectively protect rules and norms of mutual respect (civility) can absolute power structures and power politics be overcome.