The Sociology of Power

First published in 1977, The Sociology of Power presents a broad comparative study in the sociology of domination by placing empirical research in political and industrial sociology in a comprehensive theoretical framework, derived from Marxism and social exchange theory. Roderick Martin argues that conventional definitions of ‘political sociology’ are no longer relevant, having been replaced by a revival of interest in wider problems, which need to be approached from new theoretical positions. He contends that what is needed is a more general definition, based on the analytical concepts of sociological theory.

Three initial general chapters locate the study within the social action tradition and discuss problems of definition and measurement in detail. The major part of the book examines the distribution of power under different systems of labour exploitation-slavery, feudalism and especially capitalism. Professor Martin sees power as most concentrated in slavery, most dispersed in capitalism, and shows the extent and importance of this dispersal by a detailed discussion of power relations within industrial and political organizations, including trade unions and a critique of contemporary elitist theories.

By reorienting political sociology around the concept of power and by analyzing the conventionally distinct fields of industrial and political sociology within a common theoretical framework, Roderick Martin offers a persuasive redefinition of the sociology of politics. This is a must read for scholars and researchers of sociology.