(This is an archived page, from the Patterns of Power Edition 3 book. Current versions are at book contents).
A domain of power is defined by a relationship between a recognised authority and a number of people who are subject to it. A simple example might be a monarchy, where a ruler exerts political and legal power over the population within a defined territory.
Some domains are less clearly defined and more geographically dispersed. The Archbishop of Canterbury, for example, exerts varying degrees of influence over those who count themselves as Anglicans in the different countries they inhabit.
The presence of Anglicans within a monarchy is an illustration of the way in which domains can overlap each other. Any individual person might be subject to many forms of power and influence.
Power might not be uniformly distributed within a domain. The economic power of a company, for example, might be stronger in markets where there are fewer competitors.
© PatternsofPower.org, 2014