Predictability of domination does not reduce domination itself

Evidence

Not simply when its exercise is random or unpredictable. This view would undermine the whole point of the republican conception of political liberty. As discussed above, with long experience a slave is better able to predict his master’s behavior, and so it appears less random to him, but (the civic republican wants to argue) the slave does not enjoy greater freedom by that fact alone. Just because one is better able to cope with arbitrary power, it does not follow that one’s domination is any less. — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 30

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies that ‘arbitrary power’ in the republican sense is not equivalent to random or unpredictable power — a key conceptual distinction in the theory.
• corroborated: 5 independent passages support this claim — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 30
• XREF: connects to: Freedom increases with reduced domination, not with improved insight into one’s dominator — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 21; Predictable regularity of behavior does not amount to trust; Mere non-interference can coexist with domination when security is absent — Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and…, 349 (+3 more)

Related

• Freedom increases with reduced domination, not with improved insight into one’s dominator (similarity 0.84)
• Domination consists in a power of arbitrary interference, not interference actually exercised. (similarity 0.83)
• Domination requires only the capacity to interfere arbitrarily, not its exercise (similarity 0.83)
• Unfreedom lies in the structural power to dominate, not in actual interference. (similarity 0.82)
• Liberty can be lost through domination even when no one actively interferes. (similarity 0.82)
• Freedom as non-domination is conceptually inseparable from reducing uncertainty, strategy, and subordination (similarity 0.82)
• Non-domination provides resilience against arbitrary interference that non-interference lacks. (similarity 0.81)
• Law can be non-arbitrary and freedom-preserving rather than inherently dominating (similarity 0.80)
• Mere non-interference can coexist with domination when security is absent (similarity 0.80)
• Republican freedom means absence of dependence on arbitrary power, not non-interference. (similarity 0.79)
• Freedom in the republican tradition means non-domination rather than merely non-interference (similarity 0.79)
• Living without domination, uncertainty, and subordination is a great universal good. (similarity 0.79)
• Freedom as non-domination differs from non-interference by targeting the mere capacity for arbitrary interference. (similarity 0.79)
• A kindly master dominates subjects without interfering while well-ordered law interferes without dominating (similarity 0.79)
• Anti-domination institutions must remove power, not just reduce harm probability (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Predictable regularity of behavior does not amount to trust #exemplifies (0.88)