Open AccessFeatures of Power Relations in the Digital Age
Author(s) -
Olga Ignatieva
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
političeskaâ konceptologiâ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2949-0707
pISSN - 2218-5518
DOI - 10.18522/2218-5518.2022.1.140148
Subject(s) - dominance (genetics) , power (physics) , network society , state (computer science) , capitalism , legitimacy , political science , telecommunications , national power , terminology , political economy , sociology , engineering , politics , law , computer science , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , linguistics , philosophy , algorithm , quantum mechanics , gene
The rapid development of information and communication technologies at the end of the XX century and the first quarter of the XXI century led to the formation first a networked and then a digital society, which went beyond the national borders of the state. Power relations in the nation-state have also undergone changes. The position of national elites became less stable, as well as the legitimacy of their decisions, due to the dominance of transnational structures based on the capabilities of telecommunications networks. Power has moved beyond national borders and is concentrated in the hands of those who dominate global networks and own global digital platforms. The notion of industrial capitalism has been replaced by the notion of transnational imperialism. However, the power in social networks is held not only by nation-states, but also by social movements, which are considered, in M. Castells' terminology, as counter-power. The purpose of this research is to identify the characteristics of power relations in the digital society, both nationally and globally.