SUMMARY

Powermeans the ability to influence

people.

....we keep matches from children. In the

correct hands, fire can provide illumination...
but in the wrong hands, fire can be highly
destructive.
Dan Brown, Lost Symbol

Authority is the officialpower.

Legitimacy is the popular acceptance of

an authority, usually a governing law or a
rgime.

POWER VS AUTHORITY VS LEGITIMACY

Power can be exerted by the use of force or violence. Authority,
by contrast, depends on subordinate groups consenting to the
use of power wielded by superior groups.
Authority is the power to enforce rules or give orders while
Power is the ability to get one's way even in the face of
opposition
to one's goals.
Legitimacy is vital to the notion of authority; legitimacy is
the main means by which authority is distinguished from
more general notions of power.