The Worthy House (Charles Haywood) On Power: The Natural History of Its Growth (Bertrand de Jouvenel)
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Dec 27, 2025 Explore the intriguing dynamics of power and governance as discussed through the lens of aristocracy and natural law. Delve into the Minotaur metaphor representing centralized modern power and the intricate relationship between kings, religion, and society. Understand how revolutions can inadvertently reinforce authority, and hear critiques of democracy as a pathway to totalitarianism. The podcast also tackles the historical checks on power and the essential role of social bonds in true liberty, revealing the complex interplay between ideology and governance.
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Power As A Devouring Minotaur
- Charles Haywood says On Power is among the top political-theory books he has read and rivals Carl Schmitt in insight.
- The book diagnoses centralized power as a Minotaur that devours liberties while masquerading as progress.
Why Sovereignty Shifted Toward Despotism
- Haywood explains Juvenel's two questions: why men obey power and why power's share of resources grew.
- Juvenel argues divine sovereignty once limited rulers, but popular sovereignty removed external limits and opened the road to despotism.
Intermediary Powers Checked Monarchs
- Haywood recounts Juvenel's historical survey showing intermediary groups checked monarchs and made central coercion difficult.
- Monarchs needed broad social support, producing a parasitic-to-symbiotic relationship that limited absolutism.