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POLI10702 What is the difference between Power and Authority?

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Defining power and authority can often be confusing as the two concepts, particularly in the world of political philosophy, are extremely similar - and indeed debatable. Authority is best explained, using the key concept of legitimacy and consent, as a subset of power. The most basic definition of power is the ability to get something done; while authority would be exercising power in a way society would deem legitimate. Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, best known for his work on political philosophy, in his 1651 book Leviathan, described the power of a man as his present means, to obtain some future apparent Good. And is either Original, or Instrumental.1 Hobbes, in Leviathan, says that while natural (Original) power is the eminence of the Faculties of Body, or Mind: as extraordinary Strength, Form, Prudence, Arts, Eloquence, Liberality, Nobility, Instrumental Power is the ability acquired by having the natural powers mentioned above, or having the instruments required to get something done. These instruments include money, reputation, popularity, friends, success and the will of God - which we commonly term as Good Luck.2 Using Hobbes definition, we say that a mans power lies in his ability to enjoy the benefits of some good, by using his own natural power, or by using his instrumental power over others to influence something to his own benefit. It is therefore worth mentioning that power lies not only in brute force, but in ones abilities on an individual level, or indeed, on a national level.

T Hobbes (1651), Chap. X. Of Power, Worth, Dignity, Honour and Worthiness in Leviathan, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909. 2 Thomas Hobbes, op. cit.

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Generally speaking, the hunger for power is in our very nature. This hunger is never ending as everyone would prefer endless, or absolute, power. Hence, men are never fully content with the power that they have because it is impossible to have absolute power. Regarding this human desire to seek power, Hobbes says in Leviathan that all men are generally inclined to seek power, regardless of how much they already have they want more and more. And that this restless and perpetual desire for power after power ceases only in death.3 Those in power wish to protect their power and place. This is why those in power enforce laws over their people. Those with lesser power wish to have more, those with more wish to have absolute power leading them to go to war with one another. This hunger for more could also be fuelled by competition the desire to be more powerful than a rival. The question then arises, what is to stop every individual from the quest to seek absolute power or what is to stop one nation from the wanting absolute power? Which actions in this quest for power are legitimate? This brings us to the concept of authority. Authority is what makes the power of one over another legitimate. In the world of political philosophy, it is what makes the power, say the government has over its people, legitimate. In other words, legitimacy is what differentiates authority from power. For example, one man may have the power to kill another, but he has no authority to do so without a legitimate reason. Another concept, much like legitimacy, without which authority is incomplete, is consent. Power can only be authority if it is not forced upon people and is in fact exercised with the consent of the people. Consent, in this case, is the act of willingly accepting an entity to be the authority which we are bound to obey. If
3

T Hobbes (1651), Chap. XI. Of The Difference of Manners in Leviathan, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909.

POLI10702 a democratic government introduces a new law, the people of that state are legally

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bound to obey it as they consented to have that particular government. By voting in elections, the people acknowledge the government to be the authority hence consenting to the decisions they make. Therefore, the idea is that the government does not force us to obey the new law; we follow it willingly as we were the ones who elected the present government in the first place. So it may be concluded that the basic difference between Power and Authority is that while Authority is legitimate and, therefore, binding (by consent, as well as legitimacy), Power need not be either of those. That definition may be generally accepted, yet there is much debate about power and authority with respect to legitimacy and consent in the world of political philosophy. There is debate over what legitimate power is, to what extent consent legitimizes power, and what the authority of a sovereign includes. To differentiate between the aforementioned, we use the concept of the State of Nature. The concept of the state of nature, with the initial concept widely attributed to Hobbes (Leviathan, 1651), is used by political philosophers to describe what they believe would be the condition of humanity before formation of a state or society. Hobbes believes that it would a state of survival of the fittest; with man against man. Hobbes says the notions of Right and Wrong, Justice and Injustice have there no place.4 He backs this claim by saying that in a place where there is no sovereign, there is no law and hence, no injustice. Therefore, every man has the right to do whatever it takes to survive which is why he claims that life in the state of nature

T Hobbes (1651), Chap. XIII. Of The Natural Condition of Mankind, As Concerning Their Felicity, And Misery in Leviathan, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909.

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would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.5 Hobbes believes that the fear of death is what will eventually incline men to peace. To ensure their collective survival, the Natural Law will be formed followed by a state. The sovereign of the state, in Hobbes view, has absolute power over the people. He argues that men are animals and are incapable of knowing what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, once they have consented to a sovereign in exchange for their lives, it is their duty to do as they are told as they have now given up all of their rights including the right to live and the right to rebel (against the sovereign). The sovereign decides what is right and what is wrong; what is lawful and what is unlawful. Since the sovereign decides what is right and wrong, he claims that the concept of legitimate power as irrelevant as whatever the sovereign does is right. Hence all (absolute) power and authority is with the sovereign alone. John Lockes view of the State of Nature in his book Two Treatises of Government written in 1689 is almost the exact opposite of Hobbes. His perception is a society of Liberalism. In Lockes State of Nature, every man will have perfect freedom to do whatever he pleases. And because all men will have equal power and the same rank, there will be a state of equality. The basis of Natural Law in Lockes view is Reason. He argues that since all men are equal and creatures and possessions of God, no one ought to harm anothers life, health, liberty or possessions. Since we are possessions of God, he argues there cannot be supposed any such subordination among us, that may authorize us to destroy another.6 He says that absolute power is with God alone, and if a sovereign (chosen by the
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T Hobbes (1651), Chap. XIII. Of The Natural Condition of Mankind, As Concerning Their Felicity, And Misery in Leviathan, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909. 6 J Locke (1689), Chapter II. Of the state of nature in Two Treatises of Government, London: Rivington, 1824.

POLI10702 people) tries to attain absolute power, the sovereign loses his power and it is then

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the right and duty of the people to kill such rulers, or destroy such an assembly. The only legitimate power (authority) or role of the sovereign is to ensure that its subjects are living a morally and socially just life in other words, the sovereigns only legitimate power is to ensure justice for its people. In Lockes view, consent is of the utmost importance, as opposed to Hobbes. He says that rather than initial consent by the people towards the sovereign (Hobbes view), there should be continuous consent by the people and if at any time the people stop consenting to the sovereign, they may rebel or take other forms of action. Apart from the views of Hobbes and Locke, there have been several other political philosophers with their own distinct ideas of the State of Nature and Natural Law and the role of consent and legitimacy in the definition of Power and Authority. There is no absolute definition of legitimate power, with men arguing over the importance of consent and legitimacy. Some writers believe there is no such thing as absolute power, as they use religious ideologies to attribute absolute power to God alone. These writers tend to believe in the equality of men and include writers like David Hume (Essays Moral, Political, Literary, 1777). Others, set apart other ideologies and claim that the sovereign has the right to do whatever it deems necessary or fit. I firmly believe that absolute power lies with the people and the role of the sovereign is merely to ensure that the rights of the people are protected. However, in times of dispute when society is divided and there is great civil disagreement, the sovereign or state may intrude and take appropriate measures to ensure the longevity of society. I conclude this essay by saying that though the basic idea behind power and authority is fairly simple on the surface, its in-depth analysis 5

POLI10702 and role in state formation is, and probably will, remain open for discussion and debate. Words: 1531

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POLI10702 Bibliography: Hobbes, T (1691) Leviathan, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909. Locke, J (1689) Two Treatises of Government, London: Rivington, 1824.

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