Vintermann - Harald Korneliussen's weblog

Power distance

There was an interesting concept that was mentioned on Aaron's weblog by quinn: power distance. Power distance varies from culture to culture.
I have been fortunate to grow up in a part of the world where the social effect of power relationships are very small. "The lowliest shopkeeper will look you straight in the eye", a national geographic reporter wrote, and I have often wondered why this is so suprising. Perhaps it's because scandinavia had a small middle class, little nobility, and a rather pietistic working class? But I have to wonder when I read Thomas Malthus' description of Norway: he talks with a wealthy local in Oslo, who complains that Norway is expensive, you have to have many more servants, because if you hire someone as a cook, then he will on no account do anything other than cooking!

That was three hundred years ago! It seems to me like our attitudes to power are deeply ingrained parts of our culture. But perhaps individuals can break the pattern, at least? Of course, it takes two to talk, but it just takes one to give a decent wage. I have nothing against domestic servants, but they better be very well paid for taking on such a low-status job.