How do you define authority?

Some have argued that authority is very different from mere power, because authority is something which must be accepted voluntarily whereas power can exist without consent.

Originally posted by whobdamandog
Can it be defined by power, knowledge, wealth, the supernatural or something else? Does one give it to themselves...or is it given to them by another?

Discuss

The guy with the bigger gun has authority. Thats what history teaches us

Originally posted by Storm
Some have argued that authority is very different from mere power, because authority is something which must be accepted voluntarily whereas power can exist without consent.

Agreed. I think power is more authentic, authority must be sustained by power it don´t have power by itself.

There is no easy definition. The concepts of authority, power, and legitimacy are entwined. A person holds authority when they have both power and legitimacy.

Authority is sublte mix of limited control and power that appears to be much greater than it really is because of the wielder's personality.

Authority - The people who use our tax money to beat us up, imprison us, or kill us depending on how far we step out of line. Authority.

Authority, is someone like an officer of the law that enforces the law and who is fair or your parents.