Power and habitus

This article explores the relationship between habitus and social power. It is argued that legitimacy and violence constitute an alternative basis of social power. The former is based upon habitus, while the latter is an extension of natural power. The complex processes whereby the state’s monopoly on violence and education are used to create habitus, thus legitimacy, are explored. The complex relationship between power legitimacy and habitus emerge as central to making sense of three-dimensional power, hegemony, discourse formation, symbolic violence and democracy.