Intro lieux et formes de pouvoirs

PLACES AND FORMS OF POWER

• We are going to talk about the notion of places and forms of power, in the context of the various witchcrafts that had happened both for economical and social issues. But before getting into the subject, we will begin with a quick definition of the centered term of the notion. Power socially and politically refers to the ability to influence people’s behaviour by being on the top of a hierarchized community. To live together, people conforms themselves to rules, regulation and laws in order to create social cohesion but this can also lead to conflict and tensions. However, this power is never absolute, and always claimable ; there are always counter-powers which question it, vindicate it, aiming at limiting its excesses and create a form of resistance. It can be exerted in various ways ; by the medias, justice, high political authorities, as well as a whole country just as we saw in class.  Indeed, America has known two witch hunts throughout its history, both considered as very oppressive towards citizens. The first witch hunt happened during the Seventeenth century, Salem, a small town located in Massachussets, was controlled by the Puritans, who were a very influent protestant sect. They had very strict moral codes, influencing and forcing people into obeying to their religious dogma. They would accuse of withcraftery anyone, especially women, that would refuse to apply itself at these principles ; it led to several trials, and many people were unjustly executed.  The play called “The Crucible”written by Arthur Miller in 1953 and the eponym cinematographic adaptation of Nicolas Hytner show us how those trials, where witnesses were urged to denounce the other suspects, generated a fear of the Justice and the court as they literally had lives between their hands. The image people had from them was impitoyable and ruthless. Then, during the period of Prosperity in the USA, in the context of the post-WW2 and the cold war, the American people knew about the fear of communism ; in particular with the rise of the McCarthyism movement, where people were accused and tried in court. Capitalist propaganda and the Red Scare emerged, making people totally paranoid and scared of the communism ; we can clearly notice that in the excerpt from the comic “The Big Book of Bad” written by Jonathan Vankin in 1998. How evolved the fear of the power in the time ? Based on the two documents we mentionned, we’ll see in afirst place the religious power with witchcraft and then the political power in the United States.

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