Both Weber and Foucault conceptualised power and domination in different ways. Weber saw power in terms of authority that emanated and descended from above via powerful agents whereas Foucault saw power as an agentless horizontal force (Rudolph, 2006, p. 3). The differences between the three social theorists and their respected theories is that Marx focuses on economic power, particularly social and economic relationships and how it contributed to production. It was Marx’s belief that the ideal achievement of socialism led to equality and liberation. Weber contrasts to Marx by concentrating on status and rationalisation, believing that Marxism meant that the state had too much control and it potentially could lead to loss of freedoms for the individual. Rationalisation (or motivation capitalism) was a means to increase profit which Weber linked back to the development of a rationalised bureaucratised centralised state (Ritzer, 2011, p. 130). Foucault on the other hand argues that power is predominant through our social system, in particular, technologies that he saw silently controlling and manipulating the masses such as prisons and medicine (Gerrie, 2003). Not only that, but Foucault also noted that power is instantiated by rules set and governed by society, the politics of the use of language, and
Both Weber and Foucault conceptualised power and domination in different ways. Weber saw power in terms of authority that emanated and descended from above via powerful agents whereas Foucault saw power as an agentless horizontal force (Rudolph, 2006, p. 3). The differences between the three social theorists and their respected theories is that Marx focuses on economic power, particularly social and economic relationships and how it contributed to production. It was Marx’s belief that the ideal achievement of socialism led to equality and liberation. Weber contrasts to Marx by concentrating on status and rationalisation, believing that Marxism meant that the state had too much control and it potentially could lead to loss of freedoms for the individual. Rationalisation (or motivation capitalism) was a means to increase profit which Weber linked back to the development of a rationalised bureaucratised centralised state (Ritzer, 2011, p. 130). Foucault on the other hand argues that power is predominant through our social system, in particular, technologies that he saw silently controlling and manipulating the masses such as prisons and medicine (Gerrie, 2003). Not only that, but Foucault also noted that power is instantiated by rules set and governed by society, the politics of the use of language, and