TOWARDS A THEORY OF COLLECTIVE PHENOMENA .2. CONFORMITY AND POWER

A new theory of power is presented using the concept of symmetry break down in small and large groups. Power appears to result from the build ing up of conflicts within the group. Introduction and support of thes e conflicts requires an internal organization of the group. The organi zation-associated complexity is a decreasing function of group size. T hus small groups have more difficulties in generating internal conflic ts than large ones. This group dynamic is characterized by two states which are different in their nature. The group is first built within t he paradigmatic state aimed to determine and reproduce group conformit y. The group challenge is then to reach the transitional state which e nriches the group possibilities through the inclusion and stabilizatio n of internal conflicts.