Table of Contents
Content: Power Vs Authority 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. Power does not follow any hierarchy. Authority follows the hierarchy.
Legitimacy is the answer to the question: “What gives them the right to do that?”. But legitimacy is necessary not only for political authority. Global business can operate successfully only by persuading a sceptical public of its legitimacy.
Can you have power but not authority?
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.
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.
How does power become legitimate?
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 difference between power legitimacy and authority?
In political science, legitimacy is the right and acceptance of an authority, usually a governing law or a regime. Whereas authority denotes a specific position in an established government, the term legitimacy denotes a system of government—wherein government denotes “sphere of influence”.