Gaining/losing initiative

In many forms of interaction, including some games (e.g. Go), considerable importance is attached to gaining the initiative in order to have a temporary advantage in controlling the process. Considerable efforts are made to avoid losing it, or to regain it again once it has been lost.

Each power group in society can be conceived as attempting to gain the initiative or to resist losing it.

The subtlety of 'initiative' as the focus of concern, which is nevertheless understood to be exchanged somewhat like a ball in a game.

The concept is current in the relationships between power groups but mainly with regard to their narrow self-interest rather than their contribution to the interests of society as a whole.

'Leaving the ball in someone else's court'. 'Buck passing'.