【本章提要：社会是一种沟通结构。因为直接沟通的范围有限，大型社会需由多级“沟通枢纽”架设间接沟通的结构。权力源自沟通。“沟通枢纽”对沟通的掌握即是权力。】
Chapter synopsis: Society is a communication structure. Because direct communication has a limited scope, large-scale society needs to set up an indirect communication structure through multiple levels of “communication hubs”. Power comes from communication. The control of communication by the “communication hubs” is power.
人类在文明前阶段结成以血缘为纽带的小规模群体。那时并非如霍布斯（Thomas Hobbes）描述的“一切人对一切人的战争”。群体内部以合作为主，不是因为契约意识，也非为了自由平等。人性确如霍布斯说的追求自利，但自利不意味只有相互抢夺，合作也是一种自利。群内每个个体的生命安全乃至饱暖都离不开群的合作。这一点无需演化成人才能明白。以群进行合作的关系在动物界普遍存在。这种互助群符合组织学概念的“自组织”及“自发秩序”。
Before civilization, humans formed small-scale groups based on kinship ties. It was not as Thomas Hobbes described, “a war of all against all”. Cooperation was the main mode within the group, not because of contractual awareness, nor for freedom and equality. Human nature is indeed self-interested as Hobbes said, but self-interest does not mean only mutual plunder, cooperation is also a kind of self-interest. The life safety and even warmth of each individual in the group cannot be separated from the cooperation of the group. This point does not need to evolve into humans to understand. The relationship of cooperation based on groups is common in the animal kingdom. This kind of mutual aid group conforms to the organizational concept of “self-organization” and “spontaneous order”.
然而在不同的群体之间，经常处于霍布斯描述的战争状态。专家观察到与人类血缘最近的黑猩猩群体经常伺机猎杀相邻黑猩猩群体的成员。
However, between different groups, they are often in a state of war as described by Hobbes. Experts have observed that chimpanzee groups, which are the closest relatives to humans, often seize the opportunity to hunt and kill members of neighboring chimpanzee groups.
而人类群体之间的杀戮直到近代都可看到（如台湾原住民称为“出草”的猎首，到二十世纪日治时代才彻底革绝）。每个群体都尽可能用暴力消灭或驱逐邻近的群体，为自身的繁衍壮大争得生存资源和空间。学者们普遍相信这是上古时代人类群体间的基本关系。
The killing between human groups can be seen until modern times (such as the headhunting of the indigenous people of Taiwan, which was completely eradicated in the Japanese colonial era of the 20th century). Each group tried to eliminate or expel the neighboring groups by violence, to gain survival resources and space for their own reproduction and expansion. Scholars generally believe that this was the basic relationship between human groups in ancient times.
为什么群体内部可以合作，群体之间就相互杀戮呢？形成群的自组织机制为什么不能一直扩大，让合作随之扩大？反而当群体繁衍扩大到一定规模就要分裂，并走向竞争与敌对？在各种因素中，除了资源的限制，直接沟通的限度是另一重要因素。
Why can groups cooperate internally, but kill each other externally? Why can’t the self-organization mechanism of groups expand indefinitely, and let cooperation expand accordingly? Instead, when groups grow to a certain size, they split and turn to competition and hostility. Among various factors, besides the limitation of resources, the limitation of direct communication is another important factor.
以保证合作所需的群内秩序为例，首领作用是决定性的。但无论首领是以原始群的体力搏斗胜出，还是血缘群的按辈分产生，或是再后来的氏族公社推举，都需要其产生过程被群内所有成员充分了解，才能给予承认和服从；首领履行职责——指挥捕猎，维持秩序，保护领地，与其他群体作战，也要被群体成员充分知晓，才能与之配合，共同行动。更不要说一个自组织群体的成员相互了解，实现合作，也必须能够充分地直接沟通。实现充分直接沟通的群体规模是多大？不同情况各异。十数人临时聚会聊天，要么有人插不上嘴，要么自然分伙各说各的，即是超出直接沟通的限度；全天候相处的氏族公社，即使上百人也可以彼此熟悉，充分沟通；对此，除了前面的排列组合计算，还有牛津大学人类学家邓巴（Robin Dunbar）的 150 定律（Rule Of 150 或“邓巴数”），确定人类智力允许的社交人数是 150 人……不过，具体限度到底是多少，不需要追求精确的定量，承认有限即可。
To take the maintenance of the group order required for cooperation as an example, the role of the leader is decisive. But whether the leader is the winner of the physical fight in the primitive group, or the product of the seniority in the blood group, or the elected by the clan commune later, it requires that its production process be fully understood by all members of the group, in order to be recognized and obeyed; the leader performs his duties - commanding hunting, maintaining order, protecting territory, fighting with other groups, also need to be fully known by the group members, in order to cooperate with them, act together. Not to mention that the members of a self-organized group need to understand each other, achieve cooperation, and also must be able to communicate directly and sufficiently. How large is the group size that can achieve direct and full communication? It varies from case to case. A dozen people gather for a chat, either someone can’t get a word in, or they naturally split up and talk to each other, that is beyond the limit of direct communication; the clan commune that lives together all day, even if there are hundreds of people, can be familiar with each other and communicate sufficiently; for this, in addition to the previous permutation and combination calculation, there is also the 150 rule (Rule Of 150 or “Dunbar’s number”) of Oxford University anthropologist Dunbar (Robin Dunbar), which determines that the number of social people allowed by human intelligence is 150 people… However, the specific limit is how much, there is no need to pursue accurate quantification, just admit that it is limited.
一旦超出直接沟通的限度，群体内部的自发合作就会出现问题，秩序不好维持，权威难以保证，竞争也会出现，甚至发生冲突。对于没有能力在更高层次构建社会的物种，此时的解决方式就是分群，重新缩小到可以充分直接沟通的规模。
Once beyond the limit of direct communication, the spontaneous cooperation within the group will have problems, the order is not easy to maintain, the authority is hard to guarantee, the competition will also appear, and even conflicts will occur. For species that do not have the ability to build society at a higher level, the solution at this time is to split the group and shrink back to the size that can communicate sufficiently and directly.
在不同的群体之间则更加难以沟通。如果未建立共同认可的沟通结构，便会落入霍布斯的诅咒。把霍布斯的“一切人对一切人的战争”改成“一切群体对一切群体的战争”，即是早期人类的基本状态。
It is even more difficult to communicate between different groups. If a mutually recognized communication structure is not established, it will fall into Hobbes’s curse. Changing Hobbes’s “war of all against all” to “war of all groups against all groups” is the basic state of early humans.
可以设想，对每个群体更有利的不是彼此残杀，而是群与群之间谈判协议，划分范围，形成共识和规则。各群体都可因此减少牺牲，避免流血，增加安全，不再恐惧，因此需要在群与群之间实现充分的沟通。人类建立文明，必须解决这个问题。人类群和动物群的不同，即体现于群与群之间的沟通方式。
One can imagine that it is more beneficial for each group not to kill each other, but to negotiate agreements between groups, divide boundaries, form consensus and rules. Each group can reduce sacrifices, avoid bloodshed, increase security, no longer fear, and therefore need to achieve full communication between groups. Human beings must solve this problem in order to build civilization. The difference between human groups and animal groups is reflected in the way of communication between groups.
人类的早期社会通常是这样，超过充分直接沟通限度的血缘氏族会分化为几个氏族；几个氏族再以胞族方式形成联合体；属于共同亲族的若干胞族、氏族进一步联合成部落；再发展到部落联盟——这种发展采用了间接沟通的方法和结构。
In the early stages of human societies were usually like this: blood clans that exceeded the limit of sufficient direct communication would split into several clans; These clans would then form alliances in a manner akin to extended families. Several sibling clans or kinship groups, sharing common ancestry, would further unite to create tribes, and then develop into tribal alliances. This kind of development using the methods and structures of indirect communication.
为了绕开考据，这里不谈实际状况究竟如何，不妨借用卡罗伊（John Charles Harsanyi）提出的 “无知之幕”（Veil of ignorance），设定一个 “原初状态”——每个人都无特定身份和既得利益，没有路径依赖，共同点是追求自身利益，拥有平等权利，同时有做出全盘判断和选择的理性。在这样的状态下，人群会怎样解决沟通与合作的问题呢？
In order to avoid textual research, we will not talk about how the actual situation is here, but we might as well use the "Veil of ignorance" proposed by Karoy (John Charles Harsanyi) to set up an "original state"-everyone has no specific identity and vested interests, no path dependence, the common point is to pursue their own interests, have equal rights, and have the rationality to make a holistic judgment and choice. In such a state, how would the crowd solve the problem of communication and cooperation?
假定一个人最多能与另外九人以直接方式实现充分沟通，当群体大于极限——如达到十七人——时，如何实现充分沟通？办法是分成两个单元，一个单元九人，一个单元八人。每个单元各推出一人作为“沟通枢纽”，由“沟通枢纽”进行单元之间的沟通。如图2：
Suppose that a person can achieve sufficient communication with at most nine other people in a direct way. How to achieve sufficient communication when the group exceeds the limit, such as reaching 17 people? The method is to divide into two units, one unit with 8 people and one unit with 9 people. Each unit nominates one person as the “communication hub”, the hub communicates between the units. Figure 2:
在这种结构中，没有任何一人的直接沟通对象超过九人。单元A的成员只与本单元另外七个成员和“枢纽 A”直接沟通；单元B的成员只与本单元另外六个成员及“枢纽 B”直接沟通；“枢纽B”的直接沟通对象除了本单元七个成员，再加上“枢纽A”，共八个；“枢纽A”的直接沟通对象最多，除了单元A八个成员，再加“枢纽B”共九个，正好未超限度。
In this structure, no one has more than 9 direct communication members. The members of unit A only communicate directly with the other 7 members and the “hub A” of their unit; the members of unit B only communicate directly with the other 6 members and the “hub B” of their unit; the direct communication objects of the “hub B” are the 7 members of their unit plus the “hub A”, a total of 8; the direct communication partners of the “hub A” are the most, in addition to the 8 members of unit A, plus the “hub B”, a total of 9, just within the limit.
此结构之所以能使所有人都不超出直接沟通限度，在于利用结构切断了单元A成员与单元B成员之间的直接沟通，通过“枢纽A”和“枢纽B”进行间接沟通。这种间接沟通无非是把几条可充分沟通的直接管道联在一起，如A7→枢纽A→枢纽B→B6中的每一段都可以充分直接沟通，理论上只要不发生阻塞，A7和B6就可以充分沟通，只是需要经由“枢纽A”和“枢纽B”两个间接环节。这对每个其他成员都是一样的，因此可以认为十七人之间能够实现充分沟通。
The reason why this structure can make all people not exceed the limit of direct communication is that it uses the structure to cut off the direct communication between the members of unit A and unit B, and communicates indirectly through the “hub A” and the “hub B”. This kind of indirect communication is nothing more than connecting several direct channels that can communicate sufficiently, such as A7→hub A→hub B→B6, each section of which can communicate directly sufficiently. In theory, as long as there is no blockage, A7 and B6 can communicate sufficiently, but they need to go through the two indirect links of “hub A” and “hub B”. This is the same for every other member, so it can be considered that the 17 people can achieve sufficient communication.
以同样方式扩展间接沟通的结构，可继续扩大实现充分沟通的人群规模。假设十七人群体与另一个结构相同的十七人群体联合，两个群体共有四个枢纽，这时“枢纽 A”的直接沟通对象达到十一个，“枢纽B”达到十个，都超过了极限，便需要在“间接”之上再加一层“间接”。
The same way of extending the indirect communication structure can continue to expand the scale of people who can achieve sufficient communication. Suppose that a group of seventeen people is combined with another group of seventeen people with the same structure. The two groups have a total of four hubs. At this time, the direct communication partners of the “hub A” reach eleven, and the “hub B” reach ten, both exceeding the limit, so they need to add another layer of “indirect” on top of the “indirect”
把两个十七人群体分别称作“单元ⅡA”和“单元ⅡB”，各推出一个二级枢纽——“枢纽ⅡA”和“枢纽ⅡB”。假定“枢纽ⅡA”出自单元A，“枢纽ⅡB”出自单元C，单元A和单元C由原来的九人变成八人。这时“枢纽A”除了与下属七位成员和“枢纽 B” 直接沟通，加上“枢纽ⅡA”，正好未超极限。枢纽B、C、D与“枢纽A”一样。“枢纽ⅡA”、“枢纽ⅡB”则除了彼此直接沟通，每人只与下属两个一级枢纽直接沟通，更没问题。理论上，只要“枢纽ⅡA”—“枢纽ⅡB”能充分沟通，两个原本已经可以充分沟通的群体（“单元ⅡA”和“单元ⅡB”）就可以通过“枢纽ⅡA”—“枢纽ⅡB”实现充分沟通。请注意这里加了“理论上”，因为现实中的沟通枢纽很可能会有意地阻塞沟通——这正是本文要解决的问题。
Let’s call the two groups of 17 people “unit IIA” and “unit IIB”, respectively, and nominate a secondary hub each, “hub IIA” and “hub IIB”. Suppose that “hub IIA” comes from unit A, and “hub IIB” comes from unit C, and unit A and unit C change from 9 people to 9 people. At this time, “hub A” communicates directly with the subordinate 7 members and “hub B”, plus “hub IIA”, just within the limit. Hub B, C, and D are the same as “hub A”. “Hub IIA” and “hub IIB” only communicate directly with each other, and each person only communicates directly with the subordinate two primary hubs, which is even less problematic. In theory, as long as “hub IIA” and “hub IIB” can communicate sufficiently, the two groups that have already been able to communicate sufficiently (“unit IIA” and “unit IIB”) can achieve sufficient communication through “hub IIA” and “hub IIB”. Please note that “in theory” is added here, because in reality, the communication hubs are likely to intentionally block communication, which is the problem that this article wants to solve.
在间接沟通结构中，任何一个单元的所有成员加上该单元的沟通枢纽，组成一个“层块”（如图4所示）。“层块”是本文将会经常使用的概念。用“层块”不用“单元”称呼，是因为单元可以孤立存在，层块则必须在上下关系中存在。如图4的间接沟通结构，每个“一级枢纽”皆一身属于两个层块——既是“一级层块”的枢纽，同时是“二级层块”的成员。“二级层块”的枢纽（二级枢纽）同时是“三（N）级层块”的成员……图中除最高的“N级枢纽”，每层的每个枢纽皆是这种双重身份。间接沟通结构就是由这种一层托一层的层块搭起。无论结构规模扩大多少，层块都是基本结构。
In the indirect communication structure, all the members of any unit plus the communication hub of that unit form a “tier block” (as shown in Figure 4). “tier block” is a concept that this article will use frequently. The term “block” is used instead of “unit” because a unit can exist in isolation, while a tier block must exist in a hierarchical relationship. As shown in the indirect communication structure in Figure 4, each “Level 1 hub” belongs to two layers - it is both the hub of the “Level 1 block” and a member of the “Level 2 block”. The hub of the “Level 2 block” (secondary hub) is also a member of the “third (N) level block”… In the figure, except for the highest “N-level hub”, each hub of each level has this dual identity. The indirect communication structure is built by these blocks that support each other tier by tier. No matter how much the structure size expands, the "tier block" is the basic structure.
同一单元的成员日常所需处理的信息相当一部分是相同的。如单元B将拖延十天交货，无需单元A的九人各自对单元B的八人进行调查再得出结论，只需“枢纽B”→“枢纽 A”的管道通知单元 A 全体成员，省却重复，降低成本。
The members of the same unit need to deal with a considerable part of the information that is the same on a daily basis. For example, if unit B delays delivery by ten days, there is no need for the 9 people in unit A to investigate the 8 people in unit B and draw conclusions separately. It only needs the channel from “hub B” to “hub A” to notify all members of unit A, thus eliminating duplication and reducing costs.
在分工社会，分工者不必彼此相识。假设单元 B 搞冲压，单元 A 搞热处理，B7 冲压轮毂，B6 冲压轮圈，B5 冲压轮盘，都由 A2 电镀。A2 按时按量收到待电镀的三种零件即可，至于由何人冲压，与 A2 无关，只需“枢纽 A”和“枢纽 B”掌握与协调即可。
In a society of division of labor, the workers do not need to know each other. Suppose that unit B does stamping, unit A does heat treatment, B7 stamps hubs, B6 stamps rims, B5 stamps discs, all of which are electroplated by A2. A2 only needs to receive the three kinds of parts to be electroplated on time and in quantity. As for who does the stamping, it is irrelevant to A2. Only the “hub A” and the “hub B” need to master and coordinate.
沟通不仅指传递信息，还包括取得共识，分工配合，共同行动，因而离不开指挥。
Communication is not only about transmitting information, but also about reaching consensus, dividing tasks, and taking joint actions, which requires command.
从上述功能已经看得到权力的影子。间接沟通结构也与现实组织结构相似——“沟通枢纽”相当于掌权者，沟通结构类似权力结构。
The clue of power can be seen from the above functions. The indirect communication structure is also similar to the real organizational structure - the “communication hub” is equivalent to the ruler, and the communication structure is similar to the power structure.
社会分工需要互不谋面的人实现配合，首先要建立规则。没有规则，一事一议的沟通会复杂到不可思议，难以为继。规则建立了一致标准，相当于事先进行了最广泛的沟通，成为其他沟通的基础。
Social division of labor requires people who do not know each other to cooperate, and the first thing to do is to establish rules. Without rules, communication on a case-by-case basis would be incredibly complicated and unsustainable. Rules establish a consistent standard, which is equivalent to the most extensive communication in advance, and become the basis for other communication.
间接沟通结构在漫长历史进程中不断扩大，直至形成大型国家，同时演变为难以摸清全貌的迷宫。任何绕开或甩掉“沟通枢纽”的企图，都会让沟通结构瘫痪或混乱，使沟通无法进行，因此只有遵守规则，服从枢纽，才能实现正常沟通，实现组织的功能。其他方式的沟通很难得到呼应，甚至全无可能。当人们除了服从沟通结构的支配别无可能时，沟通便体现为“天经地义”的权力，“沟通枢纽”对沟通的掌握即是对权力的掌握。
The indirect communication structure has been expanding in the long historical process, until it forms a large country, and at the same time evolves into a labyrinth that is difficult to grasp the whole picture. Any attempt to bypass or shake off the “communication hub” will paralyze or confuse the communication structure, making communication impossible. Therefore, only by following the rules and obeying the hub can normal communication be achieved and the function of the organization be realized. Other ways of communication are hard to get a response, or even impossible. When people have no choice but to obey the domination of the communication structure, communication becomes a “matter of course” power, and the “communication hub” controls the communication is the control of power.
权力的强制性主要在于对沟通的控制。前面讲过的总经理通知人事部门解雇谁，人事部门就要将谁打发走；总经理通知财务部门扣薪，财务部门也得执行。其中没有强力，却能让所有员工受到管制，包括人事部门和财务部门本身。人事部门不执行总经理决定，总经理可以让财务部门扣发薪水；而财务部门违抗指示，总经理又可以让人事部门将其解雇。层次越高的“沟通枢纽”，把握的沟通管道越多，权力越大。权力让人飞黄腾达或一败涂地，其中少有刀光剑影，大部分只是无声的规则在沟通结构中的运行。
The coerciveness of power lies mainly in the control of communication. As mentioned earlier, when the general manager notifies the human resources department to fire someone, the human resources department has to send that person away; when the general manager notifies the finance department to deduct salary, the finance department also has to execute. There is no force, but all employees are subject to control, including the human resources department and the finance department themselves. If the human resources department does not execute the general manager’s decision, the general manager can let the finance department deduct their salary; and if the finance department defies the instructions, the general manager can let the human resources department fire them. The higher the level of the “communication hub”, the more communication channels it controls, and the greater the power. Power makes people rise or fall, and there is little sword fighting, mostly just the silent operation of rules in the communication structure.
虽然本文要讨论的“权民一体”只针对管理社会的公权力或政治权力，不涉及以下领域，但可以进一步印证权力与沟通的关系。
Although this article only discusses the “Unity of Power and People” for the public power or political power that manages society, and does not involve the following fields, it can further verify the relationship between power and communication.
作为商品交换的中介，金钱的沟通功能不证自明。金钱完成的沟通占据相当比例的社会沟通。金钱权力几乎无所匹敌。别说每个人的生存状况被它决定，连总统当选、国王下台它也能左右。那当然不是印钞机的魔力，而是出于钱在沟通结构中扮演的角色。钱是身份单一的枢纽，没有复杂层次，沟通简单明了；亿万“分身”遍布所有角落，因而沟通最为广泛；与人格权力比，它不带倾向，没有立场，不搀杂人的变数，对所有人一视同仁，因而最易把各种力量集中在它的旗下，把触角伸进一切领域。
The communication function of money as a medium of commodity exchange is self-evident. The communication completed by money occupies a considerable proportion of social communication. Money power is almost all-powerful. Not to mention that everyone’s survival situation is determined by it, even the election of the president and the abdication of the king can be influenced by it. That is certainly not the magic of the printing press, but the role of money in the communication structure. Money is a hub with a single identity, without complex levels, and communication is simple and clear; billions of “avatars” are spread all over every corner, so communication is the most extensive; compared with personality power, it has no tendency, no position, no human variables, and treats everyone equally, so it is the easiest to gather various forces under its banner and extend its tentacles into all fields.
媒体一词本身已经表达了其与沟通的关系。其被称为“第四权力”，往往决定人们对事物的态度，引导人们的消费需求与意识，甚至能改变人们的价值观念与生活方式。典型的是广告，媒体作为消费者与商品之间的沟通枢纽，控制着消费者买什么，不买什么。媒体的直接权力是通过使民众“知晓”，来决定民众的态度和行为；民众态度产生的压力— —往往也通过媒体传达——迫使有关方面做出相应调整，则是媒体的间接权力。
The word media itself expresses its relationship with communication. It is called the “fourth power”, which often determines people’s attitudes towards things, guides people’s consumption needs and consciousness, and even changes people’s values and lifestyles. A typical example is advertising, where the media acts as a communication hub between consumers and products, controlling what consumers buy and what they don’t. The direct power of the media is to determine the attitudes and behaviors of the people by making them “aware”; the pressure generated by the public’s attitude - often also conveyed through the media - forces the relevant parties to make corresponding adjustments, which is the indirect power of the media.
传统道德支配的舆论曾迫使无数人放弃个人意愿，甚至恶人也要戴上道德面具。人结成社会，以相互认可的准则为依据。道德把具体的个人依据合并为公共依据，简化为明确统一的道德命令。舆论权力正来自这里。舆论没有强力因素，不能直接进行制裁。然而从沟通角度看，舆论能决定人与其他人的沟通。不顺从舆论，就会受到他人防备和排斥，堵塞沟通，处处受挫，最终一定影响实质利益。正因如此，多数人不能不小心翼翼地防范舆论谴责，这种强制性正是来自沟通。
Public opinion dominated by traditional morality has forced countless people to give up their personal wishes, and even bad people have to wear moral masks. People form a society based on mutually recognized criteria. Morality merges the specific individual basis into a public basis, simplifying it into a clear and unified moral command. The power of public opinion comes from here. Public opinion has no force factor and cannot directly impose sanctions. However, from the perspective of communication, public opinion can determine the communication between people and others. If one does not obey public opinion, one will be guarded and rejected by others, blocking communication, frustrated everywhere, and ultimately affecting substantive interests. For this reason, most people have to be careful to avoid public condemnation, and this coercion comes from communication.
宗教组织的权力与世俗组织的权力类似。但是神职人员对宗教组织外的信众往往也能说一不二。虽然神职人员不是世俗社会沟通结构的枢纽，但他们充当信教者与神界之间的沟通枢纽。离开“枢纽”，信众就成了“迷途羔羊”；违抗“枢纽”；则会沦入“地狱”。在这方面，信众与“天国”直接沟通的困难程度，亦即对间接沟通的倚赖程度，甚至超过世俗社会对沟通枢纽的需求。僧侣对信众的权力便源自对这种沟通的掌控。
The power of religious organizations is similar to that of secular organizations. But clergy often have the final say over believers outside the religious organization. Although clergy are not the hubs of the secular society’s communication structure, they act as the communication hubs between believers and the divine realm. Without the “hub”, believers become “lost sheep”; if they disobey the “hub”, they will fall into “hell”. In this respect, the difficulty of direct communication between believers and “heaven”, that is, the degree of dependence on indirect communication, even exceeds the secular society’s need for communication hubs. The power of monks over believers comes from their control of this communication.