Institutions arise from vertical power asymmetries, not only horizontal coordination dilemmas

Evidence

The power resources approach therefore helps to account for the emergence and development of institutions, a preoccupation within the new ‘institutionalism,’ or polity-centred, school in the social sciences in Western societies since the 1980s. From the latter approach, the emergence of institutions often has been viewed from a ‘horizontal’ perspective, as attempts to coordinate cooperation among symmetrically positioned actors in ‘Prisoners’ Dilemma’ type of conflicts. The power resources approach, in contrast, suggests that institutions also must be viewed from a ‘vertical’ perspective, with differently empowered actors attempting to generate differential distributions of rewards. — Walter Korpi, The Iceberg of Power below the Surface, 10

Categorization

• XREF: The vertical-vs-horizontal reading of institutions parallels the reader’s grievance study: felt grievance should track vertical control deficits, not Prisoner’s-Dilemma-style coordination failures. — connects to: Dominant groups build institutions that co-opt subordinates rather than merely repress them — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 667; Hierarchy persists through individual, institutional, and subordinate-side processes jointly — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 3191; Resource-advantaged groups coordinate to create institutions expropriating from the disadvantaged — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 667 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Resource-advantaged groups coordinate to create institutions expropriating from the disadvantaged #exemplifies (0.87) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 667
• Dominant groups build institutions that co-opt subordinates rather than merely repress them #expands (0.85) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 667
• Hierarchy persists through individual, institutional, and subordinate-side processes jointly #expands (0.82) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3191
• Obligation-credit structures concentrate power in hierarchical and stratified settings. #exemplifies (0.80) — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 92
• Institutions coordinate agent behavior and persist beyond individuals #complicates (0.78)
• Dominance is maintained through unstable equilibria that concede some subordinate interests #qualifies (0.76)