A fundamental activity within the realm of BDSM is Power Exchange (PX) where the processes of dominance and submission are explored in a consensual manner. Some practices in BDSM, like M/s, engage in PE where forms of consensual non-consent (CNC) are also present. In CNC, while the aspect of capability must always be applicable, the aspects of inform-ability, grant-ability, and revoke-ability may be limited as a part of mutual agreement between s-type and D-type. As a result, M/s operates in an enhanced form of PE called Power Transfer (PT) and can potentially evolve into an even more enhanced form called Power Surrender (PS).
Power Transfer (PT)
With PT the slave's ability to revoke consent is greatly limited. When the slave consensually grants the Master an aspect of power over it the slave makes an additional commitment by asserting that it will not assert its ability to revoke the grant. The slave is effectively bound to this commitment until the Master chooses to revoke it. If the slave breaks this commitment by refusing to comply or demanding to be released from it, the Master can call upon or compel the slave to atone for this act in order to restore itself to the Master.
M/s core axiom: The slave is only as good as its word.
In PT, the M/s protocol defines which powers have as well as have not been transferred to the Master. Additionally, the protocol defines the responses by the Master if the slave fails to uphold their commitment (i.e. atonement). These definitions and interactions are governed by a form of CNC due to the fact that the aspect of consent, revoke-ability, has been limited by mutual agreement.
If the Master's command falls within the bounds of the pre-agreed upon PT by the slave, the slave's only response to the Master's command is: "Yes, Master".
Power Surrender (PS)
PS further refines PT by engaging in a more extreme form of CNC where further limitations are placed upon the process of consent by placing additional restrictions on the aspects of inform-ability and grant-ability. In PS the Master is not required to inform the slave prior to nor does it seek an explicit grant from the slave when before the command is given. The Master is still limited on the specifics of a given command whether by their choice or based on acknowledged limits requested by the slave. In PS, the slave is expected to respond "Yes, Master" to all commands issued by the Master and is bound by the atonement process at least once.
In a limited form of PS, once an attempt is made to obey the command (successful or not) and in the case of failure, successfully atoned for, the slave may request that the particular form of power be added to the limits list. The Master still possesses the right to refuse but does not possess the capability to compel the slave's obedience any further. If the slave will not accept the Master's decision or refuses to atone then the slave has failed to uphold its word to the Master and will likely be punished.
In extreme forms of PS as well as forms of PT, the slave has previously agreed to rules within the M/s protocol that the Master can compel the slave to obey by imposing the process of atonement upon the slave. At a minimum, the slave must experience punishment at least once, and at more extremes multiple times until the slave succeeds in obeying. One of the principal focuses for the slave in M/s is obeying and this is an aspect that separates them from submissives and bottoms. The goal of this process is to compel the slave into surrendering and to accept the new power the Master has imposed.
Final Thoughts
In M/s there is an intense focus on PE experienced in either the form of PT or PS. slaves seek to limit their ability to choose to obey or not as greatly as possible because part of their internal desires is to be pushed or compelled to obey and to succeed in obeying. Within agreed-upon bounds, the slave's only accepted response to the Master's command is "Yes, Master" and the only accepted result from the slave is success. Otherwise, the slave is expected or compelled to atone in order to restore itself.
PS pushes CNC closer to its extremes. As previously mentioned the aspect of consent capability must always apply but the slave can choose to abdicate some or most of its abilities/responsibilities in the aspects of inform-ability, grant-ability, and revoke-ability. In other words, to be treated as real of a slave as possible; to not be limited on what it can be commanded to do, and to be compelled to atone until the slave finally and regularly succeeds.
In the end, these 2 axioms must hold true:
- The slave is only good as its word.
- The slave must obey; The slave must succeed in obeying or the slave must atone for the failure.
If the M/s dynamic becomes centered around PS and if compulsory atonement is practiced then it can be asserted that the dynamic has achieved a form of total power exchange (TPE). The fewer limits placed upon the Master and the more extreme the atonement process the slave accepts the closer the goal of TPE is achieved.
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