1. CFE Higher Politics Political Theory
Power, Authority and Legitimacy
Definitions and Examples

2. We are learning to… Define the terms power, authority and legitimacy Give examples of each I can… Create a spider diagram of definitions and examples

3. Power, Authority, Legitimacy
What is Power?
What is Authority?
What is Legitimacy?
POWER Power can be defined as the ability to ‘get someone to do something they might not choose to do’ AUTHORITY Authority is seen as ‘rightful power’ which implies an ‘obligation’ to obey LEGITIMACY The sense of ‘rightfulness’

4. Power, Authority, Legitimacy
Power, Authority and Legitimacy are often used INTERCHANGEABLY However, these are SEPARATE concepts, which are closely linked

5. Power
What is Power? the ability to get someone to do, something they might not otherwise choose to do
Power
Is the ability to influence others sometimes through use of threats, sanctions, manipulation or persuasion.
Example – a mob has the power to lynch someone
During the 1950s in the USA, angry white mobs prevented black students entering schools and universities

6. Authority
Authority is the ability to influence others through their respect of your position Example – the decision made by a High Court Judge
What is Authority? the ability to get someone to do something because you have the right to Your power comes from Respect of rule or right to rule

7. Example of Power but No Authority
The next day, the police were called and Hitler was arrested after a shoot-out
Hitler had the power, but lacked authority = people did not think he had the right to rule
Adolf Hitler in November 1923 – the Munich Putsch
He marched into a political meeting of the Right Wing with a gun and 600 Stormtroopers
He kept the leaders prisoner, including the PM of Bavaria, Gustav Von Kahr

8. Example of Authority but no Power
Aung Sang Suu Kyi
In 1990 her party the National League for Democracy won the election in Burma
They gained 59% of votes, 80% of parliament seats
The military refused to hand over power to her
She was placed under house arrest
The military continued to rule until 2011
Aung Sang Suu Kyi had authority (the right to rule) but had no power
The military had the power to overrule her authority

9. What is legitimacy? Legitimate = Rightful
Legitimacy is what many describe as the ‘right to rule’
It is closely linked to authority i.e. in order to have authority you must be viewed as legitimate
Usually legitimacy comes from a ‘fair process’ i.e. an election, a ballot, a contract, an fair interview process
It is often a belief that a leader has a right to govern
Without legitimacy, a government can collapse

10. Can you think of any leaders who lack legitimacy? Why?

11. Power + Authority = Legitimacy
I.e. Most people obey rules even if they don’t agree with them. This is because they accept the system of government as legitimate. This LEGITIMATE power is called AUTHORITY Legitimacy Example In May 2011, Alex Salmond’s SNP gained a majority in the Scottish Parliament – 69 of 129 seats. Even though the AMS system was designed to prevent majority governments, they won more than 50% of seats. This gave the SNP government legitimacy, and Alex Salmond legitimacy as First Minister.
Power that is seen to be LEGITIMATE is seen as fair & right Therefore coercion (force) is not needed

12. Example of No Legitimacy
However, he had all the powers that Tony Blair (a strong PM) had as PM, So if he has the power why not the Authority? Brown’s unelected inheritance of Blair’s power was seen by many as illegitimate (he ran almost unopposed for labour leader), in that since there was no general election, Brown was not the ‘rightful’ PM.
Gordon Brown PM
Chancellor of the Exchequer from
1992 – 2007 under Blair
Popular chancellor, seen as staid
and reliable
10 May 2007, Tony Blair resigned
Brown won Labour nomination and became PM
Did not call a new election
Unpopular Prime Minister – blamed for economic problems
Resigned after 3 years

13. Example of No Legitimacy – Research Theresa May
Who is she?
What job did she do before PM? Details!
When & How she became PM
Why people say she has no legitimacy

14. Lack of Legitimacy in the 21st Century
The overwhelming majority of Palestinian people living within Israel’s borders DO NOT ACCEPT ISRAELI AUTHORITY AS LEGITIMATE
They instead give legitimacy to the Palestinian Authority which has little real POWER

15. Power, Authority and Legitimacy
Task – Use blank paper to create a detailed spider diagram
Include definitions and examples of P, A, L.
Power
Legitimacy
Authority
Power, Authority and Legitimacy are inherently linked – however, they are separate concepts, when any of the 3 concepts are lacking issues/problems/conflict can arise.

16. Media Clips