The Morphology of Power: Narrative and Social Institutions

The article analyzes the relationship between narrative structures and the organization of social institutions. The author utilizes Vladimir Propp's concept of functions to demonstrate that roles in power systems are defined by action and position, rather than specific individuals. This is juxtaposed with Weberian sociology of domination, indicating that the stability of traditional, charismatic, and legal-rational orders depends on social acceptance built through appropriate stories. A key distinction is made between sociological legitimization (the belief in legitimacy) and normative legitimization (the moral right to rule). Narrative thus appears as a technology for stabilizing structures, making impersonal procedures and hierarchies understandable and acceptable to citizens.