Power
- All politics is about power – achieving and maintaining it – Hobbes – basic human urge is to seek ‘power after power’. Programmed – Dawkins’ selfish gene. Conservative viewpoint.
- The ability to get someone to do something they otherwise wouldn’t do – ‘power to’.
- Distinguished with authority by power being the ability to do and authority right to do.
- Distinction from influence – ability to affect outcome even if not having actual final power to decide – influence is a minor form of power by affecting their actions without inciting force/fear – e.g. manipulation.
- Lukes sees power in three forms: decision-making, agenda setting and thought control.
- Decision-making – associated with liberal and pluralist perceptions focussing on who actually makes the decisions. Boulding argues decision-making influenced in three ways: the stick (coercion), the deal (mutual benefit through negotiation), and the kiss (sense of loyalty and commitment to individual, thus he has power).
- Dahl observed decision-making ‘Critique of the ruling elite model’ and found no single elite in charge, pluralist approach, everyone has a say. Different groups have a say on different aspects. Reality was an “example of a democratic system warts and all”.
- Elitist critiques argue this fails to understand unequal influence of key elites – real decisions made by a fixed elite – real power belongs to banks and military C.Wright Mills.
- Hobbes – physical or mechanical power whereby power is used against an individual’s will – individual is subservient to it, otherwise life would be nasty, brutish and short. Advocates strong, monarchical government.
- Agenda setting – Bachrach Baratz –idea of non-decision making. Schattschneider “some issues are organised into politics and others are organised out”.
- Links to influential parties who collectively agree or just block discussion – slight elitist theory.
- B and B and ‘mobilisation of bias’ yet individuals and pressure groups can change agendas, yet more likely to do so on issues represented by well informed and articulate. Elite tend to dominate flow of information and media and so use this to their advantage. Look at the way demonstrations are portrayed in the media.
- Marxists would argue agenda setting is a facade for bourgeois dominance with parliamentary systems of government being “the executive committee of the bourgeoisie” (Marx).
- Thought control – previous two assume that people and groups are rational and capable of knowing their own mind. The ability to manipulate human behaviour can be shaped – some argue this is where the real power lies.
- Marxist ideas based on favouritism of state towards bourgeoisie and their power through economy and politics – Gramsci and bourgeois hegemony – bourgeoisie literally control popular culture and so control the way we think. Therefore we think life is only better with material goods so bourgeoisie benefit even more.
- Vance Packard – consumer based society and only think we’re happy when we have material goods.
- New Left ideas and Marcuse – link to totalitarianism but with media, TUs, adverts, culture replacing brutal coercion manipulating needs.
- Difference between ‘real’ and ‘felt’ interests – Engels and false consciousness. Don’t know what is in our real interest – no longer rational.
- Liberals reject this – individuals are rational.
Authority
- Generally distinguished from power through the means by which compliance and obedience are achieved – Heywood “authority is power cloaked in legitimacy”. Authority a form of rightful power.
- Authority based on a perceived ‘right to rule’ (Weber) with a moral aspect.
- Weber linked authority to legitimacy – different approach from others stating that legitimacy gave power authority.
- Weber – authority is important irrespective of how it’s achieved. As long as there is the perception that authority is legitimate it’s fine.
- Authority seldom exercised in absence of power.
- Weber – traditional (respect for elders), charismatic (value opinions and words through their responsibility), legal-rational (respect for right of state – parliament’s legal rights to pass new laws).
- Traditional – sanctified by history and based upon ‘immemorial custom’. Hierarchy – Burke – ‘wisdom of the ancients’. Patriarchalism – links to hereditary systems. Less relevant today, although evident in one form in theocratic states – the resurgence of this type of authority can be seen as a response to the failure of other types in degenerative Western capitalism.
- Charismatic – based entirely upon the power of an individual’s personality. Owes nothing to status, social position or office, yet can be used to promote the interests of society (Rousseau and Law Giver).
- Charismatic has an almost messianic quality – treated with suspicion – Talmon and criticism of Rousseau.
- Legal-rational – situation for most liberal democratic Western capitalist societies. Operates through a body of clearly defined rules – linked to formal powers of office not office holder. Less likely to be abused than other 2 as the limit of authority is defined.
- Arises out of a respect for the rule of law and is evident in the constitutional framework of long-established states. Can be seen as de-personalising as there can be a relentless spread of bureaucracy e.g. civil service.
- De jure authority – authority in law. Authority from an office. Operates according to a set of rules. Closely linked to traditional/legal-rational. Related to being IN authority.
- De facto – authority in practice. Closely linked to charismatic. Authority by virtue of who they are – being AN authority.
Relationship between power and authority
- Authority is the legitimate exercise of power but debate as to whether this requires morality or PERCEPTION or rightfulness.
- Ruling by power alone eventually lead to unsustainable use of coercive resources – Mao – “all power stems from the barrel of a gun” and is the antithesis of authority.
- Can authority exist without power? Weberian sense of traditional and charismatic forms all exert influence without the need to persuade. Legal-rational based on office and power invested in the office thus need power. Also being ‘an authority’ doesn’t need recourse to power but can have influence.
Different views of authority
- Liberals – authority instrumental, coming from below through the consent of the governed – social contract.
- Do not want too much state involvement therefore authority is limited, rational and purposeful leading to preference for legal-rational.
- Conservatives – comes from above from those with experience and wisdom. Benefits other but there are few limits leading to authoritarianism through charismatic.
- Authority – justified? Essential for maintenance of order. Enemy of freedom – Libertarian/Anarchist view. Marxists – authority manufactured to mask rule by the bourgeoisie. Expectation to give unquestioning obedience is wrong as it threatens reason – Mill – intellectual diversity.
Legitimacy
- To be in a position to exercise authority. Links to power and authority by transforming the former into the latter – turns naked power into authority.
- Moral right to rule – Locke and consent – social contrast theory – we consent to be governed. If there is a formal constitutional basis, we can see legitimacy.
- Hobbes – social contract – dictatorship could have legitimacy as it is meant to protect the individual – the Leviathan state – legitimacy comes about by preventing people getting harmed – implied consent.
- For Rousseau the state is legitimate if it upholds the general will.
- Likes of Weber see a belief in legitimacy as important no matter how it is achieved.
How do governments gain and maintain legitimacy?
- Social contract – tacit and formal agreement whereby state’s legitimacy is based on protection of citizens (Hobbes) and promotion of rights and freedoms (Locke) and the common good (Rousseau).
- Locke challenged Hobbes as he believed a man could not give away more power over himself than he himself has. Tacit consent is given to the government by anyone who has “possession or enjoyment of any part of the dominions of any government”.
- Popular compliance – populace have a belief in the right to rule which in a democracy is based around the exercise of legal-rational authority.
- Constitutionalism – Beetham – legitimacy operating under existing established principles thus power exercised through the existing constitutional process if this adheres to the widely held beliefs and values of a society.
- Went against Weber’s view as it ignores how legitimacy came about. Leaves the matter largely in the hands of the powerful, who may be able to manufacture rightfulness by public relation campaigns. Power is legitimate if it fulfils 3 criteria:
- 1. Power exercised according to certain rules.
- 2. Rules justified in terms of ruler and ruled – marrying the shared belief between government and people (communitarianism).
- 3. People must give consent – how much consent must people give to give something legitimacy?
- Active consent – seen through ballot box with a mandate given to exercise legitimacy – elections/referendums and strengthened by universal suffrage – Mill.
- Legitimation crisis – neo-Marxist Habermas – legitimacy of a political system could collapsed because of the pressures created by democracy and capitalism. Democracy – voting becomes a means of consumerism. Capitalism – increased desire leads to recession – can’t continually provide what people want – e.g. extensive welfare provision. Legitimation crisis created after government intervention and conflict of free-market.
- Social contract – Giddens – communitarianism – Etzioni – taking social contract and trying to improve civic engagement through modern political systems.
- Ideological Hegemony – Conventional image of liberal democracies is that they enjoy legitimacy because they respect individual liberty and are responsive to public opinion. Critics – democracy is little more than a facade concealing the domination of a “power elite”.
- Ralph Milliband – liberal democracy is “capitalist democracy” – there are biases which serve interests of private property and ensure the long term stability of capitalism.
- Marxists state that bourgeois ideology denotes sets of ideas which conceal the contradictions upon which class societies are based – ideology propagates falsehood, delusion and mystification. Ideology operates in interests of the ruling class.
- Modern Marxists – political competition does exist but this competition is unequal. Gramsci drew attention to the degree to which the class system was upheld not simply by unequal power but also what he called bourgeois hegemony.
Legitimacy in a dictatorship
- Weber argues that traditional and charismatic authority can be legitimate if accepted by populace. Marx argued that a dictatorship of the proletariat would be legitimate as it was acting in the best interests of the masses; likewise dictators claim to uphold common good without popular approval. Traditional monarchs also claimed to be adhering to divine right as the best form of determining the common good.
FAQs
How power authority and legitimacy of government is linked? ›
Whereas authority denotes a specific position in an established government, the term legitimacy denotes a system of government—wherein government denotes "sphere of influence". An authority viewed as legitimate often has the right and justification to exercise power.
Is power without legitimacy still considered as power? ›Legitimacy is a crucial aspect of all power relations. Without legitimacy, power is exerted through coercion; with legitimacy, power can be exerted through voluntary or quasi-voluntary compliance.
How can legitimate power affect the society and the human person? ›Individuals with legitimate power can exert substantial influence on their followers. Those with legitimate power may not only create changes in the behavior of others but also have the power to create and change the social norms of the group.
What is power authority and legitimate? ›Legitimate authority (sometimes just called authority), Weber said, is power whose use is considered just and appropriate by those over whom the power is exercised. In short, if a society approves of the exercise of power in a particular way, then that power is also legitimate authority.
What are the conditions for government to have legitimate power and authority? ›Legitimate authority. (sometimes just called authority), Weber said, is power whose use is considered just and appropriate by those over whom the power is exercised. In short, if a society approves of the exercise of power in a particular way, then that power is also legitimate authority.
How does legitimate power influence others? ›Legitimate power is based on a person holding a particular position of authority within an organization. This gives them power over others and lets them make decisions within the broader system. Other different forms of power that are positional include reward power and coercive power.
Can you have authority without legitimacy? ›On this view, political bodies such as states may be effective, or de facto, authorities, without being legitimate. They claim the right to rule and to create obligations to be obeyed, and as long as these claims are met with sufficient acquiescence, they are authoritative.
Can you have legitimacy but no authority? ›Some authors have argued that legitimacy without authority is possible, though their work has not found much uptake in mainstream political philosophy.
Which is a limitation of the use of legitimate power? ›Disadvantages of Legitimate Power
» It doesn't always result in effective organizations. For example, someone can be put in a position of power but not have the skills or experience to back up the position they find themselves in. This can lead to dissatisfaction and frustration amongst their team.
3. Legitimate. Legitimate power comes from having a position of power in an organization, such as being the boss or a key member of a leadership team. This power comes when employees in the organization recognize the authority of the individual.
What is an example of legitimate power? ›
Legitimate power is power you derive from your formal position or office held in the organization's hierarchy of authority. For example, the president of a corporation has certain powers because of the office he holds in the corporation.
Why is power so important to people? ›Importance of power. Power is essential to bring changes. In absence of power, changes can be made but however, lots of struggle and lots of efforts will be required to bring even a minimal change. If power is in hands then it becomes easy to make, mend, break the rules and bring the changes.
Why power and authority is important? ›Power and authority are extremely important because they provide you with a practical means for achieving organizational goals through leading the effort and productivity of other people. Authority and power, wisely used, are never dissipated. They are enhanced by practice and personal growth.
What is the role of power and authority in leadership? ›Leaders have the power to influence values that affect behaviors. Power and authority are important concepts within leadership. Power refers to the ability or potential for an individual to influence others and control their behavior. Authority refers to the legal and formal right to give commands and make decisions.
Why is power more efficient than authority and legitimacy? ›People can acquire power through illegitimate means. Power may also be abused. Because of this, it tends to have less legitimacy than authority.
What is the importance of authority and its legitimacy? ›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.
How can you have power but not authority? ›Power is a personal talent that you can develop and use to achieve worthwhile goals. It does not depend upon title, rank, position, or authority. It's simply the ability to motivate others to take specific actions. Authority is granted but always has defined limits.
Do you think authority and leadership must always come together why? ›Authority is also necessary for leadership. Because of their decisiveness, accomplishment track record, influence, courage, and inspiration, great leaders are able to help their teams accomplish great things. Great leaders may have power, but they are more likely to hold it in reserve and rely on authority to lead.
What is the source of the legitimate power of the government? ›2: The legitimate power of government begins and ends with the people, while it's authority comes from the Creator. “...they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, ... That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
How is power related to legitimacy? ›Power is the ability, whether personal or social, to get things done either to enforce one's own will or to enforce the collective will of some group over others. Legitimacy is a socially constructed and psychologically accepted right to exercise power.
How does power affect people's actions? ›
A growing literature shows that power energizes thought, speech, and action and orients individuals toward salient goals linked to power roles, predispositions, tasks, and opportunities.
Can a leader have power without authority? ›Leadership is not a position or title — it is a mindset that needs to be embraced by all within the organization.
Can you be a leader without authority? ›Benefits of Leading Without Authority
Leading without authority can improve collaboration. Managing without authority is not about enhancing personal power or self-promotion. It's using a particular set of skills to get things done with others when you have no direct authority over them.
In stateless societies, there is little concentration of authority; most positions of authority that do exist are very limited in power and are generally not permanently held positions; and social bodies that resolve disputes through predefined rules tend to be small.
How can I have authority without being mean? ›Make it impersonal: Focus on the situation, not the people or emotions involved. Change your tone: Use a calm, but tougher tone of voice than normal. Get to know your colleagues: “Look for areas of common ground” Know when and how to de-escalate things: Learn when to take a step back and defuse a situation.
WHO has said legitimate power is authority? ›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.
Which is better power or authority? ›...
Comparison Chart.
| Basis for Comparison | Power | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Hierarchy | Power does not follow any hierarchy. | Authority follows the hierarchy. |
| Resides with | Person | Designation |
| Legitimate | No | Yes |
Unexpectedly, legitimate power is additionally having a negative effect on an antagonistic climate and a positive effect on enforced compliance; these findings lead to a modification of theoretical assumptions.
What are the disadvantages of legitimacy? ›The followers only follow your instructions but they will not have loyaltyand respectful onyou. Limited performance to be performed if the legitimate power is not strongenough. Peoplemight abuse that power towards a personalized need.
What is best understood as the legitimate use of power? ›Legitimate power is a formal authority that a person has over subordinates within an organization. A person with legitimate authority receives recognition because of their job title or assigned position.
What type of power is legitimate power? ›
Legitimate Power
Legitimate power happens when someone is in a higher position, giving them control over others. "If you have this power, it's essential that you understand that [it] was given to you – and can be taken away.
Closely related to Informational Power, Expert Power is when an individual possesses in-depth information, knowledge, or expertise in the area that they are responsible for. This type of power is often the most effective type of power.
How does power impact our lives? ›Having power affects how individuals perceive their attributes, how they evaluate themselves, and how they see themselves independently in relation to others. These effects of power on the self facilitate prompt decision making and agency, allowing individuals to respond in ways that are self-sufficient.
How does power impact your life? ›Power also changes the way people behave. Those who possess power are more likely to begin a negotiation, touch other people, and take initiative when it is unclear whether such behavior is permitted. In general, power leads people to feel less constrained by social conventions and more likely to violate social norms.
How does power affect your life? ›Research suggests that power makes us more susceptible to being proactive and making the first move (for instance, in negotiations). Power-holders are also more likely to engage in socially unacceptable behaviours, such as the display of poor table manners.
How do leaders use power and authority to influence people? ›Power leadership uses sources of power instead of influence to motivate others to act. With power leadership, you can influence how others act, but it won't necessarily change what people believe and how committed they are. Power leadership also tends to centralize power and decision-making to one person.
What is influence in relation to power and authority? ›Overview. Power and influence are used to get others to take action; power is based on positional authority while influence is based on relationships. Leaders use various sources of power to get others to act or change behavior. Some methods of influence are more effective than others.
How does authority affect leadership? ›Authority is a form of legitimate power that comes with a certain position. It is based on control and credibility. Being in a position of authority does not automatically inspire your team or give you devotion. On the other hand, leadership is based on the personal qualities and character of an individual.
Can a leader be a great leader without authority or power? ›Leaders do not need to rely on power or authority; in fact, leaders can manage without formal authority if their followers are happy to follow.
How do you become a leader without power? ›As a leader, if you already rank high in empathy, you gain a genuine professional advantage. If not, empathetic listening is a skill worth developing. There are two sets of body language cues that people look for in leaders. One set projects warmth and caring and the other signals power and status.
How power authority and legitimacy of government is linked? ›
Whereas authority denotes a specific position in an established government, the term legitimacy denotes a system of government—wherein government denotes "sphere of influence". An authority viewed as legitimate often has the right and justification to exercise power.
Does legitimacy connect power and authority? ›Abstract. In common political language, authority is often confused with legitimacy. In their relation to power, authority and legitimacy are complexly intertwined.
Can you influence without direct authority? ›It's possible to influence others greatly even if you're their peer rather than their supervisor. By displaying your knowledge and confidence while winning people's trust, you can act as a leader when called upon to do so by a more traditional source of authority. Learn more about how to influence without authority.
› organizational-leadership ›Utilize Power and Authority Effectively - Strategic Essentials|Reno ...
Power versus Authority, Why the Difference Matters
What is Power and Authority? | Characteristics and Concept of ...
Authority is the right of an individual to act on behalf of the government, while legitimacy is the right of the government to act on behalf of society.
How does power and authority work together? ›Power is a personal trait, i.e. an acquired ability, whereas authority is a formal right, that vest in the hands of high officials or management personnel. The major source of power is knowledge and expertise. On the other hand, position and office determine the authority of a person.
What is the relationship between power authority and influence? ›Authority has the willing acceptance of the person over whom it is exercised, whereas power is (generally) unidirectional. It may or may not be liked by the person over whom it is exercised. Influence refers to the ability to modify or change people in general ways, like changing their performance and satisfaction.
What is the relationship between power authority and leadership? ›Authority is ultimately a more efficient and effective manifestation of leadership than raw power is. While the exercise of power is sometimes necessary, the leader who relies on power to get things done ultimately strains relationships and may drive good people away.
Can you have authority without legitimacy? ›On this view, political bodies such as states may be effective, or de facto, authorities, without being legitimate. They claim the right to rule and to create obligations to be obeyed, and as long as these claims are met with sufficient acquiescence, they are authoritative.
Can you have legitimacy but no authority? ›Some authors have argued that legitimacy without authority is possible, though their work has not found much uptake in mainstream political philosophy.
Why is power more efficient than authority and legitimacy? ›
People can acquire power through illegitimate means. Power may also be abused. Because of this, it tends to have less legitimacy than authority.
Why power and authority is important? ›Power and authority are extremely important because they provide you with a practical means for achieving organizational goals through leading the effort and productivity of other people. Authority and power, wisely used, are never dissipated. They are enhanced by practice and personal growth.
How does power and authority influence decision making? ›The authors suggest that people in a position of power feel more equipped to make decisions and therefore tend to think more abstractly about complex questions. Bottom Line: Being in a position of power can help people make better decisions about complex problems.
How do you gain power and authority? ›- Become an expert by increasing your knowledge. ...
- Maximize your current level of power. ...
- Require more of yourself. ...
- Harness your influence over others positively. ...
- Exercise your power.
Power leadership uses sources of power instead of influence to motivate others to act. With power leadership, you can influence how others act, but it won't necessarily change what people believe and how committed they are. Power leadership also tends to centralize power and decision-making to one person.
Can you influence without direct authority? ›It's possible to influence others greatly even if you're their peer rather than their supervisor. By displaying your knowledge and confidence while winning people's trust, you can act as a leader when called upon to do so by a more traditional source of authority. Learn more about how to influence without authority.
Why is influence more important than authority? ›On overall, influence beats authority in three ways: Authority is a power, influence is an ability. Authority is resisted, influence is accepted. Authority is obvious, influence is mysterious.
Does a leader need power or authority? ›The concepts of power and leadership are interconnected. While an individual may exert power without being a leader, an individual can't be a leader without having power.
Can you have authority but not power? ›A person can possess a great deal of power and absolutely no authority. Conversely, someone can have authority and absolutely no power. Leaders who have not earned sufficient power sometimes make the mistake of trying to influence others by overexerting their authority.
Which is better between power and authority? ›Power is a personal trait derived from knowledge and expertise, while authority is a formal title or position given by an organization or another personal. Authority is legitimate and formal, while power is neither. Both power and authority can be lost, and authority is especially easy to be taken away.