The Transfer of Power (A Classic of Toffler's Century)

Author: Alvin Toffler [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: This book is the third part of Toffler's "Future Trilogy." Like the first two works, "The Shock of the Future" and "The Third Wave," the main theme of this book is to discuss the constant changes that bring endless turmoil, particularly the crucial role of knowledge in the transfer of power. It introduces the concept of "social power" and explores the changes in future businesses, economies, politics, and global situations. According to the author's definition, power is the control over others with specific intentions, and wealth, violence, and knowledge form the triangular cornerstone of the power framework. From these three forms of power, Toffler examines the following: from the transformation of capital to the conflict between "knowledge-intensive industries" and "low-knowledge industries," from the electronicization of supermarkets to the rise of family businesses and the emergence of entirely new organizational forms, we can identify the new structure of power; deep changes in industries and the economy will also bring significant shifts in politics, media, and global espionage. What impact will today's vast and distorted power struggles have on poor countries, socialist nations, and future America, Japan, and Europe?.. In the power struggle within the business world, the main tools of conflict are the same as those used by other social classes—violence, money, and knowledge. Those who fail to understand how these tools evolve are like boarding a retrograde train leading to economic decline. As Toffler stated: It is sheer nonsense to make precise predictions about the future, and the theme of this book—rapid change—was bound to render any detailed prediction obsolete at once. Statistics will change, new technologies will replace old ones, and political figures will rise and fall. However, before we step into the unknown future, it is best to first hold a rough but preliminary map, one that we can continuously refine and correct along the way. This is far better than being completely lost!...