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In [[politics]], '''authority''' ([[Latin language|Latin]] ''[[auctoritas]]'', used in [[Roman law]] as opposed to ''[[potestas]]'' and ''[[imperium]]'') is often used interchangeably with the term "[[Power (sociology)|power]]". However, their meanings differ.  "Power" refers to the ability to achieve certain ends, 'authority' refers to the legitimacy, justification and right to exercise that power.  For example whilst a Crowd/mob has the power to punish a criminal, such as through lynching, only the courts have the authority to order capital punishment.

In [[politics]], '''authority''' ([[Latin language|Latin]] ''[[auctoritas]]'', used in [[Roman law]] as opposed to ''[[potestas]]'' and ''[[imperium]]'') is often used interchangeably with the term "[[Power (sociology)|power]]". However, their meanings differ.  "Power" refers to the ability to achieve certain ends, 'authority' refers to the legitimacy, justification and right to exercise that power.  For example whilst a Crowd/mob has the power to punish a criminal, such as through lynching, only the courts have the authority to order capital punishment.

Since the emergence of [[social science]]s, '''authority''' has been a subject of research in a variety of empirical settings; the family (parental authority), small groups (informal authority of leadership), intermediate organizations such as schools, churches, armies,industrial and bureaucracies (organizational and bureaucratic authority) and society wide or inclusive organizations ranging from the most primitive tribal society to the modern nation-state and intermediate organization (political authority).

Since the emergence of [[Social Sciences|social science]]s, '''authority''' has been a subject of research in a variety of empirical settings; the family (parental authority), small groups (informal authority of leadership), intermediate organizations such as schools, churches, armies,industrial and bureaucracies (organizational and bureaucratic authority) and society wide or inclusive organizations ranging from the most primitive tribal society to the modern nation-state and intermediate organization (political authority).

The jurisdiction of political authority, the location of sovereignty, the balancing of freedom and authority, the requirements of political obligations are core questions of political philosophy.

The jurisdiction of political authority, the location of sovereignty, the balancing of freedom and authority, the requirements of political obligations are core questions of political philosophy.