Power increases the probability that improbable selection combinations will occur

Evidence

Bearing in mind that we are here talking about a real structure (and not only an analytical summary), one can then say that power is an opportunity to increase the probability of realizing improbable selection combinations. Real probabilities contain a tendency to be selfreinforcing. If one knows that something is probable, one prefers to reckon that the event will happen, rather than that it will not, and the more relevant it is, the lower the threshold which starts such a process moving. The same applies to improbabilities – as every driver knows. Therefore, a prior decision is necessary each time to decide whether to view an uncertain event as (very/quite/not very) probable or as (not very/quite/very) improbable. Here purely psychological laws can play a part. In addition, social definitions of the situation will come into play and influence the perception of the probable or improbable. — Niklas Luhmann, Trust and Power, 604

Categorization

• DEFINE: Establishes Luhmann’s core definition of power as probability-increase for improbable selections — a key anchor for relating system trust to power.
• XREF: This probability-based definition of power connects directly to Luhmann’s account of trust as complexity reduction; both are communication media that make improbable selections more likely.