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Much of the recent [[Sociology|sociological]] debate on '''power''' revolves around the issue of the constraining and/or enabling nature of power. Thus, power can be seen as various forms of constraint on human [[action]], but also as that which makes action possible, although in a limited scope. Much of this debate is related to the works of the [[France|French]] philosopher [[Michel Foucault]] ([[1926]]-[[1984]]), who, following the [[Italy|Italian]] political philosopher [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] ([[1469]]-[[1527]]), sees power as "a complex strategic situation in a given society [social setting]". Being deeply structural, his concept involves both constraint and enablement. For a purely enabling (and voluntaristic) concept of power see the works of [[Anthony Giddens]].

Much of the recent [[Sociology|sociological]] debate on '''power''' revolves around the issue of the constraining and/or enabling nature of power. Thus, power can be seen as various forms of constraint on human [[action]], but also as that which makes action possible, although in a limited scope. Much of this debate is related to the works of the [[France|French]] philosopher [[Michel Foucault]] ([[1926]]-[[1984]]), who, following the [[Italy|Italian]] political philosopher [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] ([[1469]]-[[1527]]), sees power as "a complex strategic situation in a given society [social setting]". Being deeply structural, his concept involves both constraint and enablement. For a purely enabling (and voluntaristic) concept of power see the works of [[Anthony Giddens]].