In sociology, authority is
the legitimate power which one person or a group possesses and practices over another
. … Power can be exerted by the use of force or violence. Authority, by contrast, depends on the acceptance by subordinates of the right of those above them to give them orders or directives.
Power is an entity’s or individual’s ability to control or direct others, while
authority is influence that is predicated on perceived legitimacy
. Consequently, power is necessary for authority, but it is possible to have power without authority.
In political science, legitimacy usually is understood as the popular acceptance and recognition by the public of the authority of a governing régime, whereby authority has political power through consent and mutual understandings, not coercion.
What is the legitimate use of power?
Authority
is the legitimate or socially approved use of power that a person or a group holds over another. Legitimacy is vital to the notion of authority; legitimacy is the main means by which authority is distinguished from more general notions of power.
His three types of authority are
traditional authority, charismatic authority and legal-rational authority
(Weber 1922).
A legitimate authority is one which is entitled
to have its decisions and rules accepted and followed by others
. In the case of law, people feel a personal responsibility to comply voluntarily with those laws that are created and enforced by legitimate legal authorities.
Power is an entity’s or individual’s ability to control or direct others, while authority is influence that is predicated on perceived legitimacy. Consequently, power is necessary for authority, but
it is possible to have power without authority
. In other words, power is necessary but not sufficient for authority.
What are the 7 types of power?
- 7 types of power.
- Legitimate Power.
- Reward Power.
- Coercive Power.
- Informational Power.
- Expert Power.
- Referent Power.
- Connection Power.
What is the negative effect of coercive power?
Findings reveal that coercive power increases an
antagonistic climate and enforced compliance
, whereas legitimate power increases reason-based trust, a service climate, and voluntary cooperation.
Why is legitimate power important?
Legitimate Power is a formal type of power derived from the position you hold in an organization. Subordinates comply because they believe in the legitimacy of your position. With Legitimate Power it is
your position that gives you your power
. The higher up the organizational hierarchy you go the more power you hold.
The sociologist and philosopher Max Weber distinguishes three types of authority—
charismatic, traditional and legal-rational
—each of which corresponds to a brand of leadership that is operative in contemporary society.
Basis for Comparison Power Authority Meaning Power means the ability or potential of an individual to influence others and control their actions. The legal and formal right to give orders and commands, and take decisions is known as an Authority.
Which statement best expresses the difference between power and authority?
Authority involves intimidation. Authority is more subtle than power
. Authority is based on the perceived legitimacy of the individual in power.
- Academic authority.
- Charismatic authority.
- Expert authority.
- Founder authority.
- Legal governing authority.
- Organizational position authority.
- Ownership authority.
- Prophetic authority.
Examples of some of the charismatic leaders are
Gamal Abdul Nasser (Middle East)
, Saddam Hussein, Houari Boumediene, Yassar Arafat, Ayatolah Khumeini, etc. Egypt and Libya under Mubarak and Gaddafi as their charismatic leaders saw them directing their succession to their sons and families.
According to
Weber
, what distinguishes authority from coercion, force and power on the one hand, and leadership, persuasion and influence on the other hand, is legitimacy.
