Power

2018 Handbook: Power

Power energizes action.  PEACE powers arise from the power of love and the capacity to seek harmony in relationships with others. These powers are familiar in close family and friend relationships where the group requires ongoing cooperation and mutual support to survive as a group.  Power-over powers dominate public life, where individual achievement and competition tend to be valued as a way to promote group interests in competition with other groups in the community.  Groups that seek the ideals of “Peace and Power” experience both kinds of power in practice, but they remain committed to the ideals that are reflected in Peace Powers. Here are some of the contrasts between these two forms of power*:

Power-Over Powers	PEACE Powers
Power of Results – the means justify the ends	Power of Process – how we work together is equally important to what we accomplish
Power of Tokenism – leaders give token gifts and token “promotions” to a selected few	Power of Appreciation – everyone expresses gratitude for the people around them and for actions that promote well-being
Power of Prescription – actions and goals defined by rules or authority figures	Power of Letting Go – actions and goals are negotiated for the best interest of the group as well as each individual
Power of Division – a few are privileged while others lack knowledge, skills and resources	Power of the Whole – knowledge, skills and resources flow among all for the benefit of all
Power of Force – penalties and negative consequences are used to assure conformity	Power of Collectivity – each person’s participation is valued for reaching strong decisions that everyone values
Power of Hierarchy – linear chain of command with layers of privilege and responsibility	Power of Solidarity – responsibility is distributed in a lateral network of interaction
Power of Command – Leaders set the agenda and followers comply without question	Power of Sharing – leadership shifts according to talent, skills and interest
Power of Opposites – decisions are polarized into “for” or “against” choices	Power of Integration – decisions are examined in context to consider “both” “and” possibilities
Power of Manipulation – accepts exploitation of resources and people	Power of Nurturing – values respect and protection for all people and for the environment
Power of Accumulation – material goods and resources are hoarded and used for personal gain	Power of Distribution – goods and resources are shared to benefit all according to need
Power of Causality – relies on technology as a solution for problems regardless of the consequences	Power of Intuition – is attuned to the long-term potential well-being of all when considering solutions
Power of Expediency – makes choices based on what is easy and readily available	Power of Consciousness – choices are derived from values that protect life, growth and peace
Power of Xenophobia – restricts interaction and participation to those who willingly conform to group norms	Power of Diversity – encourages equal participation of those with alternative and dissenting views
Power of Secrets – relies on mystification of processes in the interest of gaining conformity	Power of Responsibility – depends on demystification of process so that all individuals can make informed choices and decisions that promote the well-being of each individual and the group
Power of Rules – policies, norms and laws govern what is to the done without consideration of situation or context	Power of Creativity – takes into account rules and norms but values actions that arise from ingenuity to forms best fitting the situation
Power of Fear – focuses on imaginary future disaster and harm to control the behavior of others	Power of Trust – focuses on building and maintaining relationships that nurture understanding of one another

* This table is adapted from a similar table in Chapter 2 of the 8th Edition. The “Power of Tokenism” and the “Power of Appreciation” were added in consultation with Adeline Falk-Rafael on November 26, 2015 (U.S. Thanksgiving Day)