Trust and Power

Niklas Luhmann (Formerly at the University of Bielefeld, Germany), Howard Davis, John Raffan , Kathryn Rooney

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English

Polity Press
13 October 2017

Society & Social Sciences; Social interaction; Sociology; Social, group or collective psychology

In this important book, Niklas Luhmann uses his powers as an analyst of the social system to examine two of the most important concepts which hold that system together and allow it to evolve: trust and power. He criticises those theoretical accounts whose roots lie in what he refers to as ideologies – accounts which use implicit beliefs in particular conceptions of human nature to explain and predict social action in a one-dimensional way. Theories of rational choice and moralistic explanations are taken to task, as are the theories of both Marx and Habermas. Luhmann's unique scientific sociology underpins every page and enables him to highlight the potential shortcomings of these narrative approaches.

Underlying this approach is the idea that ideologically-based social theory, whether critical or conservative, is unable to do justice to the complexities existing within the parameters of social systems, individuals, and the interactions between them. He aims to show instead how only a painstaking systems analysis can capture these intricacies.

Although written over 40 years ago, Luhmann's complex vision of the operations of trust and power provides a wealth of insights of considerable value to scholars and students grappling with contemporary social and economic problems. The editors' introduction to this new edition and the significant revisions they have made to the translation will help to reveal the richness and clarity of this vision and its relevance to the ways that trust and power operate in today's society.

By: Niklas Luhmann (Formerly at the University of Bielefeld Germany)
Edited by: Michael King
Translated by: Howard Davis, John Raffan, Kathryn Rooney
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 408g
ISBN: 9781509519453
ISBN 10: 1509519459
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 13 October 2017
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Niklas Luhmann (1927-1998) was Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Bielefeld University.

Reviews for Trust and Power

A must-read for anyone interested in trust research in German-speaking contexts, Luhmann's ideas around trust as a mechanism of reducing complexity have also been highly influential for scholars... Journal of Trust Research