Typologies of power: identifying theoretical inconsistencies and blind spots in studies of power

In social sciences, scholars developed numerous typologies of power, leading to three common problems: inconsistencies within a typology, unclear differences between typologies, and unawareness of blind spots in analysis. To address these problems, this study develops a scheme for classifying typologies of social power. The classification scheme comprises nine criteria of the power holder and its means, power relationship, and the effects of power on the power subject. Based on the scheme, this study classifies and compares two prominent typologies, namely, the four faces and Nye's hard and soft power, to identify theoretical inconsistencies, differences, and blind spots.