Inkwell Institute

Professor’s Classroom

Subject:  Political Theory

Paper #18

Here is one of my least favorite subjects when discussing political theory…it is viewed many ways and for many reasons….but for this paper I will try to define authority in simple terms as it is practiced by the different major political ideologies…..Whether we speak of the ‘leader’ or the state or whatever….there will always be someone or thing in charge or the authority, if you will………

Authority is ever given or taken….and the different political ideologies view the institution of authority in different ways…..

Basically authority can be categorized two ways….1–is the broad definition where it means any system of power or social control of those involved in the system….2–the entity behind the running of the state…..Hannah Arendt says…”If authority is to be defined at all…..coercion by force and at the same time it is permission by argument”

Liberals see authority rising from below with the consent of those to be governed.  In order to have a orderly existence, authority is rational, purposeful and limited in its scope.  And should be held to public accountability.

Conservatives sees authority as arising from natural necessity being exercised from above by virtue of  the unequal distribution of experience, social position and wisdom.  Authority is beneficial as well as necessary for respect, loyalty and social cohesion.

Socialists, those damn socialists, are suspicious of authority because of its links the to interests of the powerful and privileged.    But, there is always a but, they have embraced the collective body as the authority as a means to check individualism and greed.

Anarchists see ALL forms of authority as oppressive and in as such find it  unnecessary and exploitative.  There is NO distinction between authority and naked power.  There are MANY forms of anarchist…….Syndicalists, Councilists, even an anarcho-cpaitalist…IMO it is chaos and not even organized chaos….

Fascists see it as a manifestation of a personal leadership of charisma, if you will…..This form of authority is absolute and unquestionable….simply put it is authoritarian in its very nature.  (Thanx to Andrew Heywood’s book “Political Ideologies)

Yes, I know that is down to its basic points….I could expand it but you guys would suffer from the same ‘brain worms’ as me…it is for your own protection….