‘Power’ can be defined as the capacity to achieve something, yet within societal affairs it tends to involve control over others or the ability to harness the capacity of others, and it is this distinction between power as a capacity and power as a relationship between people that is fundamental to understanding the architecture of authoritarianism. The power of governing bodies over others is driven by a desire to harness the power of the people in order to achieve an ultimate goal or policy, and the success of any such regime is determined by the amount of capacity it possesses. Therefore it can be identified that the goal of authoritarian regimes particularly, is to increase the number of people under their governance and then increase the potential of those people. The concept of architecture as a participatory tool of power emerged in the 18th century when society experienced a paradigm shift in social philosophy. The desire of the people and the states respectively to improve the current quality of life positioned them to consider strategies for increasing hygiene standards and eliminating crime and poverty within cities. And this common goal provided the opportunity for an increase in capacity, the development of which could operate under the guise of voluntarism, further legitimating the governing party. These new architectural forms surfaced in hospitals and prisons, and even extended into the layout of elementary classrooms and domestic homes.
