Luhmann’s 1975 theory redefined power as communication-steering rather than personal property

Evidence

Published in 1975, the German text on Macht represents a first culmination of these enormous efforts. The book can be seen as the first application of the newly developed or developing theory of symbolic generalized communication media; in particular, it reflects Luhmann’s growing interest in social communication as the unit of social systems. He notes that this theoretical change represents the most severe break with older theories of power. Power should simply be seen as a personal property or ability, but needs to be integrated into a theory that can account for a specific and meaningful steering of communication. — Niklas Luhmann, Trust and Power, 28

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the shift from power-as-possession to power-as-symbolic-generalized-communication-medium — a core concept the reader needs for the Luhmann-to-Giddens bridge.
• XREF: Directly operationalizes ‘system trust’ vs earlier commonsense power; maps onto Giddens’s faceless commitments where deference targets system capacity, not personal authority. — connects to: Technology usage alone fails to indicate real social power — Theresa M. Senft, Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in…, 85