Authority

The concept of authority varies among religious, political, and cultural traditions and may be perceived and encountered according to the order and arrangement of each society. In a dynamic world, the perception of the locus and operation of authority in society varies similarly. Since authority is closely related to power and legitimacy, where and how it is encountered affects everyone who is involved in the exercise of authority. From their roots in Latin, the terms author (Latin auctor) and authority (Latin auctoritas) have associated meanings. A significant distinction is that an author can operate in isolation but authority requires a social context. Consequently, authority unlike authorship cannot exist or operate without more than one party. These parties minimally involve those who claim authority and those ...