potere

Potere is the Italian noun for power, authority, and influence, as well as the capacity to influence events or people. The related verb potere means to be able to and is used to express possibility or ability; common present-conjugated forms include posso, puoi, può, possiamo, potete, possono.

In political and social contexts, potere denotes the capacity to shape outcomes, allocate resources, or set agendas. The idea is often analyzed in terms of authority and legitimacy, and is described through different sources such as coercion, reward, information, or charisma. In contemporary discourse, discussions of power also focus on inequality, resistance, and the distribution of influence among institutions, groups, and individuals.

Scholarly treatments of power in philosophy and social theory range from Max Weber’s typology of authority (traditional, charismatic, rational-legal) to Michel Foucault’s view of power as diffuse, productive, and embedded in knowledge and discourse. Other approaches, such as Pierre Bourdieu’s analysis of social fields and capital, examine how power is reproduced through practices, education, and culture.

Across Italian language and culture, the term potere appears in debates about government, economy, gender dynamics, and international relations. It serves as a foundational concept for understanding authority structures, political action, and personal agency.