Political Concepts of Political Concepts of Power and AuthorityPower and Authority

What is Power?What is Power?

Political power, is the ability to make and Political power, is the ability to make and carry out decisions, is dependent on carry out decisions, is dependent on certain sources of power. certain sources of power.

The exercise of power therefore involves The exercise of power therefore involves such processes as force, coercion, such processes as force, coercion, manipulation, bargaining or persuasion.manipulation, bargaining or persuasion.

What is Authority?What is Authority?

Authority suggests consent and legitimacy. Authority suggests consent and legitimacy. Power suggests force violence and a lack Power suggests force violence and a lack of consent.of consent.

It is useful to remember the phrase: It is useful to remember the phrase: “Authority is legitimate power”.“Authority is legitimate power”.

What makes authority legitimate?What makes authority legitimate?

According to Max Weber (Sociologist) people According to Max Weber (Sociologist) people give their consent to the rule of three different give their consent to the rule of three different types of authority:types of authority:

CharismaticCharismatic

TraditionalTraditional

Legal RationalLegal Rational

Charismatic AuthorityCharismatic Authority

People consent o be ruled by people with People consent o be ruled by people with special human qualities.special human qualities.

Such qualities inspire loyalty and Such qualities inspire loyalty and obedience.obedience.

Examples throughout history include:Examples throughout history include:NapoleonNapoleon

HitlerHitler

GandhiGandhi

Traditional AuthorityTraditional Authority

Some people accept the power and rule of Some people accept the power and rule of others because there is a long standing others because there is a long standing tradition of things being like that.tradition of things being like that.

King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette could be said to have traditional authority.could be said to have traditional authority.

Similarly a society that venerates age Similarly a society that venerates age (where elders rule) often does so on the (where elders rule) often does so on the grounds of tradition.grounds of tradition.

Rational Legal AuthorityRational Legal Authority

In modern societies authority is made In modern societies authority is made legitimate by the acceptance of an legitimate by the acceptance of an established set of sensible rules, laws and established set of sensible rules, laws and procedures by the majority of the procedures by the majority of the population.population.

For example the authority of Parliament For example the authority of Parliament and the Prime Minster.and the Prime Minster.

Hobbes & LockeHobbes & Locke

Hobbes and Locke were both 17Hobbes and Locke were both 17thth century century English PhilosophersEnglish Philosophers

Both lived through the English civil war Both lived through the English civil war and had their thinking shaped by it and its and had their thinking shaped by it and its aftermathaftermath

They are both known best for examining They are both known best for examining the question of should absolute the question of should absolute monarchies be allowed to existmonarchies be allowed to exist

Styles of GovernmentStyles of Government

HobbesHobbes

Absolute MonarchyAbsolute Monarchy

FascismFascism

DictatorshipDictatorship

LockeLocke

DemocracyDemocracy

CapitalismCapitalism

Human NatureHuman Nature

HobbesHobbes

Believed that people were Believed that people were wicked, selfish, and cruel wicked, selfish, and cruel

Believed that people Believed that people would act on behalf of would act on behalf of their best interests.their best interests.

“ “Every man for every Every man for every man”.man”.

LockeLocke

Believed that people were Believed that people were by nature good and that by nature good and that they could learn from they could learn from their experiences.their experiences.

Human RightsHuman Rights

HobbesHobbes

People are born with People are born with rights that they relinquish rights that they relinquish to the monarch in return to the monarch in return for protection. This is for protection. This is known as social contract.known as social contract.

LockeLocke

All people are born with All people are born with certain inalienable rights. certain inalienable rights. They are life, liberty,They are life, liberty,

and the right to own and the right to own property.property.

Purpose of GovernmentPurpose of Government

HobbesHobbes

The purpose of the The purpose of the government was to keep government was to keep law and order.law and order.

LockeLocke

The purpose of the The purpose of the government is to protect government is to protect individual liberties and individual liberties and rights.rights.

Role of Society in GovernmentRole of Society in Government

HobbesHobbes

People could be trusted People could be trusted to govern themselves and to govern themselves and an absolute monarch an absolute monarch would demand obedience would demand obedience in to maintain order.in to maintain order.

LockeLocke

People could be trusted People could be trusted to govern themselves. to govern themselves. Locke believed that if Locke believed that if provided with the rightprovided with the right

information would make information would make good decisions.good decisions.

Changing GovernmentChanging Government

HobbesHobbes

Because people had no Because people had no say in their government, say in their government, they could do nothing if they could do nothing if the monarch were the monarch were abusive.abusive.

LockeLocke

The people had the right The people had the right to revolt against an to revolt against an abusive government.abusive government.

Hobbes, Locke and the French Hobbes, Locke and the French RevolutionRevolution

Who do you agree with more Hobbes or Who do you agree with more Hobbes or Locke? Why?Locke? Why?

How do you think Hobbes’ and Locke’s How do you think Hobbes’ and Locke’s philosophies influenced the French philosophies influenced the French Revolution?Revolution?

The EndThe End