Self-Perpetuating Hierarchy

November 17, 2013 9:32 PM

I saw an incredibly concise quote floating around social media a few weeks back that described how hierarchy becomes self-perpetuating. The gist of it was that those at the top of a hierarchy deprive those below them of the practice required to conceptualize and implement their own plans, and then turn around and justify their position by pointing out how incapable their subordinates have become. I'm almost certain the person quoted was female, and I'm fairly sure she was a social sciences academic, but may have been an activist of some stripe.
posted by wobdev to Human Relations (1 answer total)

Best answer: Was it Martha Ackelsberg? Quote: "Hierarchies make some people dependent on others, blame the dependent for their dependency, and then use that dependency as a justification for further exercise of authority."
posted by paperback version at 12:36 AM on November 18, 2013 [30 favorites]