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could have mean so many different things. My conclusion as to why the author said this is to say
that power transitions when situations change and the leaders change their mindset.
Laura Gougeon
Power & Imagination
Trimble
October 13, 2015
Inquiry #2: The Anatomy of Power
The reading The Anatomy of Power by John Kenneth Galbraith is correlated to the article
Forms of Power but goes into deeper context of the different forms of power. It also explains that
there are different instruments for wielding of enforcing power.
I believe the most important point the author makes is that people need to understand
who has the power and who is subject to authority of others. This concept must be understood
especially by the ones who hold the power because they need to be responsible with how they
use it. It is also essential for them to understand that they also have followers and dependents that
need to be lead correctly to have a positively working society. Throughout the article, the author
speaks about the different types of people who hold power and I believe the point he is trying to
portray is that power is a character trait and you either have it or you do not. Jobs that require
someone to lead others can only be held by a person who holds the trait of being able to be
responsible and control power.
The passage I found most interesting in the reading is when Galbraith says Politicians are
frequently described as power-hungry; the obvious implication is that they seek power to
satisfy an appetite. I believe this concept is completely true, but are they like this because they
must be if they want to be elected to office or is there more to it? I think a huge part of it is to be
elected into office, but as I said before, I believe it is also a character trait that you have or you
do not.