SOC 2000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Oligarchy, Totalitarianism
Document Summary
Political power is a type of power held by a group in society which allows that group to administrate the distribution of public resources. Power is often defined as the ability to influence others without resistance. Authority refers to a claim to legitimacy-> the justification and the right to use power. Rational-legal authority: form of authority which depends for its legitimacy on formal rules and established laws of the state. Traditional authority: derives from long established customs, habits, and social structures. Charismatic authority: the charisma of the individual or the leader plays a big role. Authority is derived from a gift of grace. The government has a near exclusive right to use violence, this further reinforces its claim to authority. Monarcy: a form of government where supreme power is absoluted lodged with an individual who is head of state until death or abdication.
