Distinguish between power and authority.

Both power and authority are closely associated and are sometimes interchangeable, though not always. According to Max Weber, a German sociologist who lived in the nineteenth century, there were three types of authority:

1. Traditional Authority – This type of authority is held by the monarchy, Parents, teachers etc. this could also be seen as hierarchical authority. It depends on established customs and traditions. In the case of the monarchy, it means that one monarch commands the same amount of respect, obedience and loyalty as the previous monarch commanded.
2. Charismatic Authority – This type of authority is obtained through charisma, this means that certain types of personality give people authority; a good historical example of this is Hitler. Not many people believed in what he was saying but his charisma held them, convinced them that what he was saying was right.
3. Rational-legal Authority – This last type of authority (according to Weber) is the powers of the police and the right of Parliament to pass laws, which are then enforced onto the general populace. This is so because the people elected the government into power.

These types of authority are not absolute and they overlap continually, e.g. a teacher also has an amount of legal and charismatic power. Authority comes form a number of things and authoritative figures have power over the rest of their peers.

The police and armed forces often use physical power. It is the power to kill, move people against their will, or restrain them. Authority can be seen as the use of these powers with a moral or legal right - a police constable and a criminal may both have physical power over people but only one has authority over them.

According to Steven Lukes there are also three faces to Power:

1. Decision Making – the first face of power is its open face. Those exercising the power are seen to be making their decisions out in the open where everyone can see what they are doing and so judge them on it. For example if the government wanted to make a new law then there would be debates for and against the new law, and everyone would be able to see all sides of the argument.
2. Non-Decision Making – this second face is the secretive face. Those who exercise the power do so behind closed doors so that no one knows what is going on except for those in power. For example a beak might ask his/her class whether they want to do prep this week or the next week. The class think that they have a good deal here choosing when to do their prep, but in fact they still have to do the work they just chose when.
3. Manipulating Desires – This third face goes one step further. It suggests that those who exercise power can some times manipulate other people to think that what is about to happen is in their best interests.

So to conclude Power is the capacity to achieve goals by any means necessary, whether legal or illegal. Either by means of peaceful persuasion; economic leverage or force or by a contribution of the above.

Authority on the other hand is the rightful use of power. It is the exercise of legitimate power. Authority is often conferred by rules and must be exercised using those rules.