Jacques Ellul on the Benefits and Dangers of Police Power

Thai riot police.

Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) was a French sociologist, lay theologian, Christian anarchist, and prolific writer. He gained prominence for his exploration of technology as a pervasive and dominating force that shapes and controls human existence.

One of his most influential early books was The Technological Society. One of the themes in this comprehensive volume had to do with police power. In light of the violence in France in response to a shooting of a 17-year-old there in 2023 and our current administration's use of ICE here in the U.S., I thought it may be relevant to cite Ellul's thoughts on police power. 

Greek riot police.

In this book he stated that "the perfection of police power is not the result of the state’s Machiavellianism or of some transitory influence. The whole structure of society implies it, of necessity. The more we mobilize the forces of nature, the more must we mobilize men and the more do we require order."

In The Technological Society. Ellul argues that the development of technology is not simply a matter of adding new machines and devices to our lives. It's also a matter of changing the way we think and behave. As technology becomes more sophisticated, it requires us to become more organized and disciplined. This is because technology is not neutral. It has its own logic and momentum, and it tends to lead to the concentration of power and the suppression of dissent.

Ellul argued that this trend is not inevitable. It is possible to develop technology in a way that is more democratic and humane. To do this, however, we must be aware of the dangers of technology and take steps to mitigate them. (The same way that our judicial and legislative arms of government were designed to hold the executive branch in check.) We need to develop new forms of social organization that can resist the tendency of technology to centralize power. We also need to find ways to protect individual freedom and autonomy in the face of technological determinism.

These are some of the issues contributing to anxiety about A.I. alongside the growth of our "surveillance society."

Zurich riot police.

Ellul's ideas are still relevant today. (The original volume was published in French in 1954 and translated to English in 1964.) As technology continues to develop, we need to be mindful of the potential dangers of police power. We need to ensure that our individual rights and liberties will remain protected. Ellul suggested that we also need to develop new forms of democratic participation that can give citizens a say in how technology is developed and used, though I'm skeptical of this ever really happening.

There are, unfortunately, plenty of examples of the abuse of police power. In the early 20th century, the United States government used police power to suppress labor unions and civil rights movements. In the Soviet Union, the government used police power to control all aspects of society, from the economy to the arts.

Police power is not inherently evil. It can be used for good or for evil, depending on the intentions of those who wield it.

It is also important to remember that "absolute" police power is not inevitable. It is possible to develop societies that are free and democratic, even in the face of technological progress. However, this requires us to be vigilant and to constantly fight for our rights.

If you have a story that illustrates the dangers or benefits of police power,

please share it in the comments.