An important part of the advocacy of hypertext is based on the notion of empowerment. A hypertext in Landow's vision "obviously creates empowered readers, ones who have more power relative both to the texts they read and to the authors of these texts" (Landow, p. 273). Hypertext increases individual freedom, because "users are entirely free to follow links wherever they please" (cited, Landow, p. 273). Increasing democratization will follow (Landow, p. 277; but see also Kaplan). We will all work more cooperatively, because it will bring a diminishment of "specialism and private initiative" (McLuhan, cited Landow, p. 282), and a "decentering" of political action, as advocated by Ryan (cited Landow, pp. 282-3), which looks like a modern form of casuistry. But see also Landow's attempt to think through the notion that hypertext in itself may also introduce privilege and marginalization (Landow, pp. 287-9).