Compellers

Compellers are agents or systems that create compliance by compelling action or discouraging noncompliance. The term, derived from the Latin compellere meaning to drive together, is used across sociology, political science, and organizational theory to describe forces that constrain behavior. Compellers can be intentional actors, such as governments and organizations, or impersonal structures, such as markets and technical controls.

Definition and function: A compeller exerts influence by shaping the incentives, sanctions, or norms that guide behavior. This can involve coercive or punitive measures (laws, penalties, enforcement), incentives or rewards (subsidies, tax advantages), or normative pressure (professional standards, social expectations). Some compellers operate through surveillance and information flows, narrowing the perceived options available to individuals or groups.

Examples: National laws that require vaccination or impose fines, workplace safety regulations enforced by inspections, environmental or market-based controls, and online platforms that restrict access for noncompliant users. In many contexts, multiple compellers interact, producing a combined effect on behavior.

Theoretical perspectives: Some frameworks emphasize state-based compellers as primary drivers of conformity, while others highlight distributed compellers—markets, technology, and social norms—as equally or more influential. Debates focus on legitimacy, proportionality, effectiveness, and potential side effects such as resistance or evasion.

See also: coercion, compliance, deterrence, regulation, social control.