Essay: How does authority differ from power?

How does authority differ from power?
The concepts of power and authority are different notions which are closely related that it is difficult to disentangle between the two in practice. In explaining the aspects through which power and authority are different, it is important to first define clearly each of the concepts. It is also crucial to note the similarity between power and authority and the aspect where they overlap.
In Political Theory: An Introduction (2015), Heywood suggests that power can be said to have three faces, in that power can be analysed through its role in decision making, agenda setting and thought control. The first ‘face’ of power, decision making, is concerned with how the behaviour of a ‘patient’ can be affected by an ‘agent’ through the exercise of power. The second ‘face’ of power links the possession of power to the ability to raise an issue or create a barrier to prevent an issue from being discussed, in other words, setting the agenda. As power can be reflected in social status, political position and wealth, certain groups in society may be able to advocate for the expression of opinions in their own interests, or even block the participation of others in decision making. The third ‘face’ of power, thought control can be explained as the ability to influence and shape the opinion of others by putting outside ideas of perceptions and preferences into their heads.
Authority, on the other hand, refers to the right to influence the behaviour of others. In practice, authority can be explained as the legal and formal right to take decisions that affect other people and give commands. Weber categorised the means through which compliance is brought about through three ‘ideal types’, traditional authority, charismatic authority and legal-rational authority. Traditional authority emphasised that authority is based on tradition and customs, and the respect for them of the public. The second type of authority, charismatic authority is established through the appeal and power of an individual’s personality and charisma. In this sense, authority is not derived from the position or office held by an individual, but rather from his or her ability to appeal personally to people by means of the individual’s personal qualities. Finally, but most importantly, authority can also be said to be attached to a position or an office through a defined framework of law and rules, as what is called the legal-rational authority.
The first difference between power and authority lies in their definition, where authority can be defined as the right to influence how other people make decisions and behave, while power can be construed as the ability to do so. The ability to influence others may be established through rational argument and persuasion, and forms of pressure such as coercion or violence. On the other hand, the right to influence others can be based on a position within an institutional hierarchy or the possession of expertise and knowledge. Hence, power can be said to be exerted on other people through the means mentioned above, while authority comes from an obligation to obey on the side of others based on the superiority possessed by the ‘ruler’ in the form of a higher office or a higher level of knowledge.
Power and authority are also different in that while authority often flows only in one direction, power are not hierarchical. This is evident in organisations such as a corporate company comprised of numerous levels and departments which are responsible for different aspects of running the company. In such a company, power can be said to flow in many directions,  for instance, from the superior to subordinates in a lower level (vertical), among the workers of different departments but the same level (horizontal) and between workers belonging to different departments and levels of the same company (diagonal). In contrast, as authority is derived from the respect and moral obligation to obey an individual in a position or with superior expertise and knowledge, authority flows only in one direction (vertical and downward).
While it is possible to draw a line of distinction between power and authority analytically, it must also be acknowledged that in practice, the exercise of power and the exercise of authority relate to each other. For instance, both power and authority are involved in political leadership, where authority is drawn from respect for the leader’s personal qualities or the office held, while power exercised by the leader is evident in the ability to promote or demote colleagues.
In conclusion, while there are areas of overlap between concepts of power and authority which are often seen to be similar, there are also aspects of difference between them. Hence, to distinguish between the two related concepts, it is essential to identify the contrasting means through which power and authority are established respectively and the direction in which each concept works.