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Critically Examine The Main Theory Of Power A broad distinction can be made between two types of power: 1. Authority is power that is accepted as legitimate - e.g. the power of Parliament to pass laws in a society where citizens accept the political system. 2. Coercion is based upon the imposition of power using force, or the threat of force, against people who do not accept it as legitimate. Weber defines power as the ability of people to get their own way despite the opposition of others. He distinguishes three different types of authority: 1. Charismatic authority is based upon what are believed to be the special qualities of an individual. 2. Traditional authority is based upon a belief in the rightness of accepted customs. 3. Rational-legal authority is based upon the acceptance of an impersonal set of rules, e.g. an exam system or a legal system. These are ideal types (idealised, pure forms of authority)...

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