Define authority. Briefly discuss the various forms of authority.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. Authority is the legitimate use of power. It has three characteristics. First, people consent to authority because they believe that their obedience is for the greater good. Second, people see the authority as legitimate-valid, justifiable, and necessary. Third, people accept authority because it's institutionalized, accepted by a large number of people, in organizations.Traditional authority is power based on customs that justify the ruler's position. The source of power is personal because the ruler inherits authority on the basis of long-standing customs, traditions, or religious beliefs.Charismatic authority is power based on exceptional individual abilities and characteristics that inspire devotion, trust, and obedience. Like traditional authority, charismatic authority is personal and reflects extraordinary deeds or even a belief that a leader has been chosen by God, but the leaders don't pass their power down to their offspring.Rational-legal authority is power based on the belief that laws and appointed or elected political leaders are legitimate. Unlike traditional and charismatic authority, rational-legal authority comes from rules and regulations that pertain to an office rather than to a person.