Charismatic Authority Research Paper

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Power is the ability to carry out your will, even over the resistance of others. Power has two different variations and can be either legitimate or illegitimate. Legitimate power is called authority and is power that people accept as right. Illegitimate power is known as coercion is power that people do not accept as right. For example, if someone owes you $100 you cannot just take it from them but if you owe the state money than they have right to use whatever means necessary to get the money you owe them. There are several different variations of authority including traditional, rational-legal and charismatic. Traditional authority is based on customs that dictate basic relationships. An example of this is an individual automatically becoming …show more content…
This type of authority refers to matters that have been agreed to by people and written into laws or regulations. Regal-legal authority comes from a particular position that an individual instead of personal characteristics that put someone in a position of power. Anyone that exerts this type of authority must follow the written rules no matter how high their position is. The third type of authority is charismatic authority. This type of authority catches people’s attention because people believe that the individual has been touched by God or has been given exceptional qualities by nature. Charismatic authority is different from traditional authority because it does not follow customs. An example of this authority is Joan of Arc, armies followed and risked their lives next to her because they were attracted to her by her outstanding traits. She was seen as messenger of God, so people accepted her leadership because of her many appealing qualities.

2. Compare and contrast the Conflict and Functionalist Perspectives on who rules the United States.
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An example of this is the divine right of kings which is a doctrine that meant God determined who would become the king in a society and put him on the throne. The king that God chose ruled in God’s place, and it the responsibility of the king’s subject to be completely loyal to him. Since the king was thought to be chosen by God, many believed that if you disobey the king you are also disobeying God himself. Another example of legitimating the social order is the religion of ancient Egypt where the pharaoh himself was considered God. Therefore, nobody was every allowed to question the pharaoh’s

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