Revisiting the concept of Power in the light of the Complexity Paradigm

Abstract

This paper aims to revisit the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the power construct, which is seen as a key element in Politics. The paper consists of a review of the thoughts of Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, and Michel Foucault, supported by a theoretical framework of philosophy and political science, with the complexity paradigm as its epistemological basis. First, the three authors were analysed separately, after which the dynamics between them were investigated. To achieve the goal of this paper, the analysis was divided into six sections: an introduction, a methodological discussion from the perspective of military science, the methodology, the three perspectives on power, an analysis, and a conclusion. With our analysis, we attempted to answer the following questions: What is power? Who holds it? By what means is it exercised? We concluded that the object of study is clearly a complex one due to its volatile and relational nuances, which directly affect political and military dynamics and phenomena.