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Difficulty: MediumAuthority: Definition, Scope, and Weberian Typology

Political authority exists whenever compliance is secured exclusively through the threat of physical force or sanction, rather than a belief in the legitimacy of the governing entity.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is False. Political authority is defined as legitimate power, meaning it relies on the consensus and belief of the governed that the ruler has a rightful claim to command, whereas compliance obtained strictly through physical force represents uninstitutionalized power.
The statement is false because political authority fundamentally depends on legitimacy—the subjective acceptance by citizens that a governing body has the rightful claim to issue directives. Compliance achieved purely through threat of physical harm or sanctions represents uninstitutionalized power, which lacks the essential qualification of authority.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Define political authority in political science terms.
Authority is defined as power coupled with legitimacy (Authority=Power+LegitimacyAuthority = Power + Legitimacy).
Establishing the core theoretical definition is necessary to determine what constitutes authority.
2
Analyze the core premise of the given statement.
The statement asserts that securing obedience exclusively through physical force or sanctions creates political authority.
Evaluating the statement requires comparing its claim against the requirement of legitimacy.
3
Differentiate between raw force and authority.
Obedience driven purely by physical threat lacks perceived rightfulness and consent, characterizing raw power/force rather than authority.
Since legitimacy is absent in the scenario described by the statement, the statement must be evaluated as false.

Key Concept

Distinction Between Power and Authority
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Authority: Definition, Scope, and Weberian Typology

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