Waking up on the typical Monday morning, I feel groggy and confused. What day is today? I think it over and realize it is the dreaded Monday. Wishing it was still Sunday, I slowly get up and, like a snail, complete my morning routine. On my way to Hunter, everything is the usual–waiting for the suddenly delayed train, rushing through the massive horde of people trying to transfer trains, and finally arriving at school along with hundreds of others. I notice that the train station has set up a table lined with police officers checking passengers’ “suspicious” bags. The person in front of me gets called over by the police and she complies, by allowing the police officer to look through her bag. I keep walking as this is nothing out of the ordinary. During English class, my professor wants us to free-write for ten minutes. Everyone listens and begins frantically writing. I am finally done with all my classes for the day and while on the train, a performer enters with a charismatic air. He presents his speech and begins to dance. He is unlike the usual performers; there is something to him that they didn’t have. Riders alike take out their wallets to praise the performer on a job well done. What a normal day.
Authority is all around us, and it is a part of our daily lives. We listen to those we believe to be in charge of us and never give our obedience a second thought. What is authority? According to Max Weber, a German sociologist, authority is the legitimate power which one person or group holds over another and does not involve force or violence (10). Weber goes on to construct his “Tripartite Model of Authority” in which he narrows down the definition of authority into three sub-categories: legal/rational authority, traditional...
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...eems as though he is comatose. Of course, this is a mere summary of the experiment and the results are just shocking. I encourage reading further about this experiment and you can do so at http://www.physics.utah.edu/~detar/phys4910/readings/ethics/PerilsofObedience.html. It is dangerous to mindlessly comply with the demands of authority, yet it is just as dangerous to consistently defy their orders. It may be thrilling once in a while to be a rebel, but taking on the status of a rebel is both deleterious for you and society. Neither society nor the individual can function without authority, as without it, society will become chaotic. It is at best, to be a temporary rebel.
Works Cited
Parrish, Tina. “Jonestown.” Jonestown. San Diego State University, 14 May 2012. Web.
02 Nov. 2013
Weber, Max. “Power, Authority, and the State.” SagePub.com. Web. 02 Nov. 2013
While having too much authority can lead to complication and dilemmas, too little authority can lead to an overthrow of leaders in a situation. Authority is like a ticking time
Over the course of the semester, the class has discussed a variety of theories about legitimacy and government. In Hobbes, authority hinges on the Leviathan, with Locke, authority rests on the people and with Rousseau, an extreme version of Locke. Yet in each case, there appears to be a focus on one individual or one group of people. What institutions can enforce that the group who possesses legitimate power do not overstep their authority? Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu advocates for a solution that results in a system of government that has the sovereign not abuse his or their power. Thus, a system of checks and balances.
The fear of government control is a leitmotif in many dystopian literature stories; therefore, strong, oppressive central governments feature prominently in this genre. Both Brave New World and 1984 provide examples of this type of government, which superficially appear to be quite different. Although the outward aspects of these governments appear to be in opposition, they both use conditioning and societal manipulation to maintain control of their citizens in worlds affected by industrialization.
Who holds the power? Which religion is stronger? In Bless Me Ultima, a coming of age story of a young boy, the protagonist struggles with the issue of which God should be followed, worshiped, and reverenced. The theme of power in religion is portrayed throughout Anaya’s book in various ways and means such as Ultima, Mrs. Marez, the sign of the cross, and Antonio himself.
John Adams once remarked “..I say, that power must never be trusted without check” . And true enough, anything or any person in power must be kept in check lest there is another Fascist Dictator in the world.
Individuals often yield to conformity when they are forced to discard their individual freedom in order to benefit the larger group. Despite the fact that it is important to obey the authority, obeying the authority can sometimes be hazardous especially when morals and autonomous thought are suppressed to an extent that the other person is harmed. Obedience usually involves doing what a rule or a person tells you to but negative consequences can result from displaying obedience to authority for example; the people who obeyed the orders of Adolph Hitler ended up killing innocent people during the Holocaust. In the same way, Stanley Milgram noted in his article ‘Perils of Obedience’ of how individuals obeyed authority and neglected their conscience reflecting how this can be destructive in experiences of real life. On the contrary, Diana Baumrind pointed out in her article ‘Review of Stanley Milgram’s Experiments on Obedience’ that the experiments were not valid hence useless.
Authority cannot exist without obedience. Society is built on this small, but important concept. Without authority and its required obedience, there would only be anarchy and chaos. But how much is too much, or too little? There is a fine line between following blindly and irrational refusal to obey those in a meaningful position of authority. Obedience to authority is a real and powerful force that should be understood and respected in order to handle each situation in the best possible manner.
C. Wright Mills in his article “ The Structure of Power in American Society” writes that when considering the types of power that exist in modern society there are three main types which are authority, manipulation and coercion. Coercion can be seen as the “last resort” of enforcing power. On the other hand, authority is power that is derived from voluntary action and manipulation is power that is derived unbeknownst to the people who are under that power.
Someone has always been there to tell you what to do in life. As a young child, you were told to behave properly and not to eat too many sweets. As you grew older and older, it seemed as if the responsibilities became greater and greater in number. Even as an adult, there was always an officious boss telling you what to do. There was always some higher force that bound your actions. Authority was the major theme in the novel 1984, by George Orwell. Authority was also a profound factor in Stanley Milgram’s experiment conducted in 1974. It seems that authority has been around longer than any of us can remember, and it is authority that dictates the way we act.
The courtroom is a ritualised space, involving costume, language, spatial organisation and so on, and courts, therefore, constitute performative exercises of power. Discuss some of the ways in which courts demonstrate power and/or power relations.
Access to the law and legal system is the ability to shape it, both in its meaning and
Karl Weber, a sociologist and political economist, describes authority as a form legal domination. Followers comply with the rules of these individuals because they consider their authority to be legitimate. While the legitimacy of domination does not have to be rationality, right, or natural justice, it is legitimate because individuals accept, obey, and consider domination to be required. The president of the United States is considered a traditional, legal and charismatic authority, where the legitimate domination rests on the idea of the legality of enacted rules for these individuals elevated to their status to give commands. The news article Obama's Executive-Power Use Shows He Still Holds Some Cards by NPR.com shows the President Barrack Hussein Obama II, the 44th president of the United States, as a traditional, legal and charismatic authority figure based on the characteristics of domination defined by Karl Weber.
Abstract This paper will describe police power and police authority. I will also talk about police discretion as to who gets locked up and who is allowed to go free. This paper will discuss the different uses of police force. In this paper, I will also talk about police attitude, police misconduct, and physical abuse among police officers.
In a society there are different authorities that we follow. According to Weber, there are three types of authorities which are are rational -legal authority, traditional authority, and charismatic authority. According to the article “Marx Weber: Traditional, Legal-Rational, and Charismatic Authority” by Dana Williams: rational-legal authority is powered by the belief that the law gives the legitimacy for example government officials; traditional authority is the belief that it is the traditional way and it is passed down for example the British Monarchy; lastly, charismatic authority is fueled by the liking of a person, it is also neutral meaning that it can go both ways (negative or positive) for example Adolf Hitler and Martin Luther King
When power becomes legitimate, it is then recognized as authority (Denhardt et al, 2001). Power becomes authority when it is accepted and even desired by society. As stated by the course study notes, “authority refers to a situation where a person (or group) has been formally granted a leadership position”. An individual has authority when everyday norms and regulations support the exercising of power by that individual. In an organizational setting, “authority is hierarchal and vested in positions” (Week 9 Study Notes), which are defined by “organizational charts, positions and rules” (Week 9 Study Notes). Generally, power in authority also involves the possibility of rewards such as promotions and good performance reviews.