77 (Melucci 1989, 76-77)

---

(Melucci 1989, 76-77)

These three forms of symbolic challenge [prophesy, paradox, and representation] produce systemic effects, which should not be confused with modernization and institutional changes, the circulation of elites or processes of cultural innovation. The systemic effects consist mainly in rendering power visible. The function of contemporary conflicts is to render visible the power that hides behind the rationality of administrative or organizational procedures or the ’show business’ aspects of politics. While visible power disappears from complex societies, it expands and is dispersed throughout the whole society. Even though power comes to play a crucial role in shaping all social relationships, it is difficult to pinpoint it within individuals or institutions. [Melucci, Alberto. 1989. Nomads of the Present. London: Hutchinson Radius.]