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In sociology, authority is the legitimate or socially approved power which one person or a group possesses and practices over another. The element of legitimacy is vital to the notion of authority and is the main means by which authority is distinguished from the more general concept of power. Power can be exerted by the use of force or violence.
Power as a relational concept: Power exists in relationships. The issue here is often how much relative power a person has in comparison to one's partner. Partners in close and satisfying relationships often influence each other at different times in various arenas. Power as resource-based: Power usually represents a struggle over resources ...
Political scientists, historians, and practitioners of international relations have used the following concepts of political power: [citation needed] Power as a goal of states or leaders; Power as a measure of influence or control over outcomes, events, actors and issues; Power as victory in conflict and the attainment of security;
Charismatic authority grows out of the personal charm or the strength of an individual personality. [2] It was described by Weber in a lecture as "the authority of the extraordinary and personal gift of grace (charisma)"; he distinguished it from the other forms of authority by stating "Men do not obey him [the charismatic ruler] by virtue of tradition or statute, but because they believe in him."
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. Political legitimacy is considered a basic condition for governing, without ...
Sovereignty reemerged as a concept in the late 16th century, a time when civil wars had created a craving for a stronger central authority when monarchs had begun to gather power onto their own hands at the expense of the nobility, and the modern nation state was emerging.
[13] This type of formal power relies on position in an authority hierarchy. Occasionally, those possessing legitimate power fail to recognize they have it, and may begin to notice others going around them to accomplish their goals. [14] Three bases of legitimate power are cultural values, acceptance of social structure, and designation. [1]
Understanding the dynamics of how the state and society exercise and contest power (e.g. power structures, authority, social inequality). [7] How political values and behaviours shape society and how society's values and behaviours shape politics (e.g. public opinion, ideologies, social movements).