In this version, my second and final one, I have included items from Robb Smith’s “Evolution of Power” (https://integrallife.com/new-war-power/). Whereas my model focused on the development of power in the individual, Robb charted power’s evolution in the collective quadrants. Combining the two in this scheme gives us, I believe, a more complete integral picture. Robb’s items appear in boldface.
At Stage 0, Infrared, an infant has the power to influence the behavior of parents or other adults that may be in the vicinity by crying, screaming, and other behaviors.
At Stage 1, Magenta, a toddler has an increasing capacity to manipulate physical objects including its own body parts. Stage 1 societies have the power to protect their survival by hunting and gathering and warfare.
At Stage 2, Red, a person starts to acquire language as an instrument of power. They also have the power to act on their egocentric aggressive and sexual impulses — violence, rape, and killing. The tribe or its leader(s) have the power to expel — exile or execute — members who violate the norms of their society.
At Stage 3, Amber, the individual has the power to control their impulses and conform to the rules and roles of the religious community, kingdom, empire, or nation state. The governing authority has the power to sanction, to sit in judgment of transgressions against the norms and laws and impose punishments.
At Stage 4, Orange, adults have the power to use freedom, reason, education, property, money, social connections, the law, and industrial technology to achieve fulfillment of their life goals. In democratic societies the power to contract is protected by the state to ensure citizens can participate freely in a capitalist or socialist economic system.
At Stage 5, Green, a person has the power to use advanced informational technology to work toward advancing the values of equality, social justice, multiculturalism, environmentalism, and global peace. This is sometimes called the power to convene, to use social media platforms to create or join virtual communities that share a person’s beliefs and values. Such “tribes” are often committed to political action along a left-right axis, which may be inspired by propaganda, disinformation, and appeals to emotion. This power is implicated in the state’s efforts to regulate social media platforms, protect privacy, create propaganda, and operate surveillance programs on individuals and groups.
At Stage 6, Turquoise, a person has the power to use an Integral world view, combined with deep spiritual insight to promote a holistic, inclusive, and compassionate approach to problems that humans face in all four quadrants: mental health, cultural conflicts, medical problems, and system dysfunctions of all kinds: economic, political, environmental, etc. The power to integrate involves showing leaders and influencers how disparate ideologies and value systems can be synthesized at a higher, more inclusive perspective where win-lose polarities in politics, business, and culture are transformed into win-win outcomes.