It is better to be powerful and lucky. Keith Dowding’s theory of power between agency and structure

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Notes

1. In this review essay I do not engage in the discussion of another significant aspect of Dowding’s theory of power as expounded in Dowding (1991, 1996), namely, the distinction he proposes between a power-to and a power-over understanding of power – that he labels, respectively, ‘outcome’ and ‘social’ power. The reason for not introducing it here – despite it being mentioned occasionally in the book under review – is the residual role played by this conceptual distinction in the overall theory of power presented in Power, luck and freedom. However, I have discussed Dowding’s distinction between ‘outcome’ and ‘social’ power at length elsewhere (see Pansardi 2012a, 2012b).