This document defines and discusses different concepts of power and authority. It defines power as the ability to control or influence people and resources. It then describes several types of power: social power which comes from influence over decision makers; cultural power from influence as cultural icons; economic power from money and capital; political power from control over government bodies; and legal power from ability to create and enforce laws. It defines authority as the legitimate or acceptable use of power. It then discusses various concepts of authority, including customary authority from history/tradition, statutory authority from legislation, common law authority from courts, and delegated authority given to subordinates.

1. power & authority

2. What is Power?
The ability to control and/or influence people
and resources

3. Concepts of Power
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Social power
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use of power to influence people who have
control over who becomes, or remains, a
decision maker
Linked to political power (often trying to gain
some adv for themselves)
Linked to cultural power (have social power
bc are cultural icons)
E.g. charismatic politicians, sportspeople,
entertainers, academics.

4. Concepts of Power
 Cultural
power
 Use such power to gain an advantage –
economic or legal – for the group
 E.g. used by religious bodies, ethnic
minority groups, lobby groups that have
as their basis sex or sexuality.

5. Concepts of Power

Economic power
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Held by a person or entity that has the money,
means of production or capital to influence
law and decision-makers
Low level (eg ‘breadwinner’ of family) or at
high levels (majority shareholder in company)
Use such power to gain political or legal

6. Concepts of Power
 Political

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power
Held by the person or group that is able to
control the running and policy development of
a decision-making or controlling body.
Such power is used by favouring a
person/orgsn in a decisions-making process
E.g union leaders, school prefects, committee
chairpersons, politicians

7. Concepts of Power

Legal power
 Where the person/group has the ability and
authority to create sanctions or inhibit the
rights of others – ie where a group or person
can enforce its rights or create or apply the
law.
 Other groups without genuine law making
power but with pol and eco power – e.g.
power of media and financial institutions to
alter the law
 E.g. parliament and courts

8. What is Authority?

The legitimate or acceptable use of power

9. Concepts of Authority
 Customary
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authority
Authority to wield power as a result of history
or tradition
Historically, men over women, non-indigenous
over indigenous
Often recognised at common law
E.g. by parents over children, employers over
employees, the state over the individual (eg
police, gvt officers, defence etc)

10. Concepts of Authority
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Statutory authority
Held by persons and orgnsn that are provided
with power by plt, eg customs agencies and
tax office

11. Concepts of Authority
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Common law authority
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Authority provided to persons and groups by
the courts
Eg employers once had common law authority
to completely control the lives of employees;
the position of men in society was reinforced
by ability to ‘own’ a wife at common law

12. Concepts of Authority
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Delegated authority
Authority given to subordinate, or lesser,
people or orgnsns to make decisions or
principles on their own behalf.
Used to increase administrative efficiency of
an orgsn.
Eg junior staff in business orgsns to manage
a budget without having to bother managing
director. Local council given delegated
authority to make law

13. power or authority or both?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLvSnr6s5
Jailed for jaywalking A FATHER of three
wept as he revealed how crossing the road ahead of an
APEC motorcade led to his violent arrest in front of his
young son and a traumatic 22 hours in jail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHiCoASpRwE