Power and Authority

Power and Authority in Sociology

Governmental and social control are significant aspects of all societies. The nature of this control is defined as power and authority, which we will discuss in more detail.

It is important to note that sociologists and political scientists analyze power and authority from different perspectives. They are interested in different aspects of them.

• Political scientists aim to discover the distribution of power within political systems.

• Social scientists are concerned about the effects of governmental power on wider society. They also focus on the social conflicts that result from the unequal distribution of power and the misuse of authority.

Power and Authority: Similarities

Let us now discuss what power and authority are, in relation to one another.

What is Power?

Power is difficult to define. Sociologists usually use the definition created by Max Weber in 1922.

Fig. 1 - Sociologists still use Max Weber's definition of power.

What is Authority?

Sociologists have defined authority in relation to power. They refer to authority as ‘accepted power,’ the power that the people of society have agreed to follow.

The reputation and respect commanded by the authoritative figures in society make people listen to them and give them authority. Generally, people hold these demands and opinions as reasonable and true.

Power and Authority: Differences

Let us look at power and authority in more detail, respectively, as there are a couple of differences between the two.

Emergence and Exercise of Power

Power is often used in the sense of governmental power.

Sociologists point out that governmental power is not only that which a state applies to its citizens but also the power it attempts to exercise over the citizens and governments of other states. Dominant nations, throughout history, have tried and succeeded in taking control over other nation-states.

Wondering about the examples mentioned above, we might think that power is always closely connected to military action and violence. This, however, is not the case. Power can be gained and exercised in more peaceful ways, too.

Power and Social Media

Technological development has assisted in the nonviolent forms of gaining and exercising power. The Internet and social media made it possible for people to make their voices heard and their demands visible. Demonstrations can be streamed live and accurately on social media nowadays, so people all over the world can see for themselves what is happening, instead of relying on coverage by the media, which can be controlled and restricted by the government.

Modern technology made it easier for citizens to take hold of power as opposed to their governments.

Emergence and Use of Authority

Power can be forced upon people, while authority usually means the accepted and supported power, the power of a government or leader that people agreed to.

The Collapse of Authority

A government is strongest when its authority and power are seen as legitimate by citizens. When people lose faith in their governments and political leaders, they might rise and start a revolution.

Relationship between Power and Authority

Sociologist Max Weber has realized that sometimes authority is based on legal positions, while at other times, it springs from the charismatic personality of an individual. Noting the differences between different types of authoritative figures and offices, Weber established a classification system for authority.

He identified three types of authority: traditional, charismatic, and legal-rational (Weber, 1922). Let us consider all three.

Traditional Authority

He claimed that in certain cases, authority is seen as legitimate simply because it has been accepted for a very long time. Scholars have long pointed out, that people are, in general, very invested in the past and the traditions and customs of their society. Thus, it’s often enough for them to say, ‘that's how things have always been,' to accept the authority of their leaders and governments.

Traditional authority is usually dependent on the people’s respect and acceptance; figures with this form of authority don't necessarily have the power to maintain their positions if the public turns against them and the customs they represent. This is the case with countries that have abolished their monarchies as archaic institutions.

Patrimonialism

Patrimonialism is a more modern form of traditional authority.

Traditional authority is arguably connected to social groups, based on gender, class, and ethnicity/race. In most societies, men are more likely to be in authoritative positions, and so are members of the upper class and dominant ethnic groups.

For instance, in the US, there are multiple prominent politicians from the Kennedy family (a wealthy, upper-class White family).

Charismatic Authority

According to Weber, charismatic authority is accepted by people due to the ruler’s personality rather than their social position or position of power. The extraordinary personality of a charismatic leader can inspire others to do difficult, unusual things for the community, often amid hard times.

Sociologists noticed that charismatic leaders often arise at times of hardship and crisis. They become immensely powerful because they offer a radical solution and an appealing vision for the future that people can identify with and gain hope from.

As we can see from the case of Hitler, charismatic leaders can easily turn from heroes to tyrants. Weber noticed that they also often stay in power only for short periods.

Fig. 2 - Napoleon had charismatic authority.

Women have faced considerable disadvantages in gaining political power throughout history, so female charismatic leaders are often in areas other than politics, like Mother Theresa. Yet, Joan of Arc and Margaret Thatcher must be mentioned as charismatic leaders, too.

The Threat of Charismatic Leaders

Charismatic leaders can overthrow legal-rational and traditional authority if their personal appeal is strong enough to attract public support.

Legal-Rational Authority

A nation with a constitution is based on legal-rational authority, but there are also examples on lower levels. In the workplace, the employee handbook usually determines the system of legal-rational authority, and a normal employee might realize that they have a different type of authority and power than their boss, for instance.

Types of Power and Authority in Sociology

To solidify your understanding further, let's look at a summary of Weber’s classification of authority in the table below.

It must be noted, Weber points out, that some leaders possess two or even all three types of authority at the same time. The president of the US might also have a charismatic personality, in which case he possesses both charismatic and legal-rational authority. Or an individual might arise as a charismatic figure and later becomes the president of a country. In this case, they started with gaining charismatic authority and later transitioning it into legal-rational authority.