[vintermann]

I don't think the difficulty of equal power is a good excuse to pretend power doesn't exist.

One way we solve it in the real world is that the negotiators also have power - including, possibly, the power to force the party most OK with the status quo to come to the negotiating table, and reject exploitative proposals.

That isn't foolproof either, of course. But it beats rhetoric trying to convince the weaker party to submit.

[maxaw]

I didn’t say it doesn’t exist, rather that it’s already taken into account. I’m also not sure what you are proposing- if mediation is required, and someone has more power than someone else, why would they voluntarily engage with a mediator who will reduce that power? Or if they are forced to use this mediator (eg by the state) then this means they never had the power in the first place