Fifth power

The fifth power is a term, apparently created by Ignacio Ramonet, that intends a continuation of the series of the three estates of the realm and the fourth power, the mass media. The term fifth power can be used to refer either to the Internet, public opinion, the Church (which is the First Estate by the original meaning), economic systems or simply money including its creation.

This article is about political term. For the album, see The 5th Power. For other uses, see Fifth power (algebra) and Fifth Estate.

Economic systems

If, by the fifth power, what is meant is the economic system, it refers to the power that government exerts in the economic sphere through public companies and the mechanism of economic intervention, which is fundamentally financial. Historically, the relationship between power and economy has been defined within a narrow scope, primarily as the mercantilism of the Modern Age. However, since the U.S. stock market crash of 1929, four contemporary positions have emerged:

Monetary systems and money

A fifth power could refer to the influence money can have in blurring the separation of powers, influencing the decisions of a government and legislation, and misapplication of the principle of equality before law.

It can also refer to monetary systems and in the processes involved in the creating of money, the way money is supplied and how the economy is financed. This aspect can be a subject of concern in considering that the processes can introduce an unfair bias. Movements and theories that propose changes to monetary systems are encompassed in the subject of monetary reform.

Internet

A second candidate for the "Fifth Power" is the Internet, which represents a new sort of social mass medium which cannot be included within the narrower, one-way scope of the media of the fourth power. If considered as the fifth branch of power, it is the only one to be controlled by society itself without regulation by the state.

According to Ramonet, Internet users collaborate to form a powerful engine of debate and democratic action. With globalization, the 21st century has the potential to finally bring communication and information to all people.[1] The Time's "person of the year" 2006 ("You") carries the same message.

Church

Another strong candidate for the "Fifth Power" title is the church, because of the concept of separation of church and state. This concept has been adopted in a number of countries, to varying degrees depending on the applicable legal structures and prevalent views toward the proper role of religion in society. This concept of separating the power of the Church from the other three powers of the state is much older than the concepts of power of Economy or power of the Internet.

gollark: What if we create AR glasses which blot out all people on tracks and in similar situations so nobody has responsibility?
gollark: I mean, a laser powerful enough to stop the train would probably create more problems for the people on the tracks than just the molten or vaporized or whatever metal.
gollark: The real solution is a very powerful laser. Not only will it slow down via radiation pressure, but when the front of the train ablates it'll slow down further.
gollark: That reminds me! AutoBotRobot function will be restored SOON™
gollark: Via WASM usually.

See also

References
  1. Interview at Inter Press Service Archived 2006-10-24 at the Wayback Machine
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