Structural Analysis

The evolution of power and money in the contemporary era

The core of this project is a structural analysis of the evolution of political power and money in Western societies from the late eighteenth century to the present.

This approach is based on a fundamental premise: major social transformations cannot be explained primarily through ideologies or isolated events, but through structural changes in the organization of power, in the monetary flows that sustain economic and institutional systems, and in the way people live their lives.

Throughout the contemporary era, these transformations have progressively shaped an increasingly complex social architecture in which several elements interact:

  • political structures
  • administrative institutions
  • financial systems
  • economic markets
  • regulatory frameworks
  • and the masses, whose expansion and collective behaviour have played a central role in the evolution of modern societies.

The model developed in this research identifies five major structural transformations that have shaped the organization of power and money in Western societies.

Although these transformations originated in the West, many of their institutional characteristics have later spread — with adaptations — to other parts of the world.

I. Consolidation of administrative sovereignty and the beginning of the age of the masses

Late eighteenth century – late nineteenth century

During this period, modern administrative states emerged through the development of permanent bureaucratic structures.

This process involved the progressive replacement of traditional aristocratic power by organized public administrations capable of exercising regulatory, fiscal and territorial functions on a continuous basis.

At the same time, profound social changes took place. Population growth, urbanization and the expansion of political participation introduced the masses as a central actor in social and political life.

This phenomenon was identified early by Gustave Le Bon in The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind (1895), where he described the emergence of new forms of collective social behaviour.

II. Expansion of industrial capitalism and the revolt of the masses

Nineteenth century – first half of the twentieth century

The second transformation is characterized by the expansion of industrial capitalism and the consolidation of the productive firm as the central engine of economic growth.

During this period, industrial production, technological innovation and capital accumulation generated sustained economic expansion.

At the same time, the social and political role of the masses became increasingly significant.

This phenomenon was analyzed by José Ortega y Gasset in The Revolt of the Masses (1930), where he described the rise of the masses as a defining feature of modern social and political life.

The interaction between industrial expansion, economic growth and the increasing influence of the masses constitutes one of the defining characteristics of this second transformation.

III. Expansion of the macro-state and transformation of the middle class

Second half of the twentieth century

The third transformation is characterized by the sustained expansion of public expenditure, regulation and public debt.

During this period, what can be described as the macro-state emerged, significantly expanding its influence over economic and social organization.

A key element of this transformation is the role of the middle class, whose economic expansion during the industrial era had been one of the pillars of Western prosperity.

However, a significant part of this economic capacity was progressively redirected toward the expansion of both the financial system and the state, altering previous economic and social balances.

IV. Convergence between the macro-state and the macro-financial sector

Last quarter of the twentieth century

During the final quarter of the twentieth century, a decisive transformation occurred in the institutional and economic architecture of Western societies.

The financial system expanded considerably in scale and influence, while the state continued to extend its presence in the economy through regulation, public debt and monetary policy.

Within this context, a configuration emerged characterized by the growing interaction between the macro-state and the macro-financial sector, whose dynamics became increasingly integrated within a complex institutional framework.

This convergence redefined the relationship between political power, financial systems and the productive economy.

V. Technological revolution, multilateralism and social reconfiguration

Twenty-first century

The fifth transformation unfolds in a context marked by technological, economic and geopolitical change.

Among the most relevant factors are:

  • sizeabke and rising public debt
  • digitalization of the economy
  • automation of productive processes
  • the expansion of artificial intelligence
  • transformation of productive systems
  • and the growing importance of multilateral structures in the organization of the international system.

These dynamics are beginning to reshape production costs, labour organization, market structures and the institutional capacities of states.

Unlike previous transformations, this fifth transformation has the potential to simultaneously reshape multiple social structures, altering the relationship between power, economic organization, technology and social life.