POWER is not AUTHORITY

I believe we all have a deep misunderstanding of power and authority.

Power is a real and essential part of life.

We're all in a natural pecking order. Some people have great strength, whilst others have less.

Some are smart, others naive.

A few of us are born into wealth and power. And many acquire status through their achievements.

These differences give us the opportunity to influence those who lack what we have.

Influence can be physical strength, or force.

And it can be intellectual skill, or persuasion.

Influence is power.

POWER is not AUTHORITY.

Authority is considered to be the ‘right’ to determine, adjudicate, command or control.

Power, on the other hand, is the ability to determine, adjudicate, command or control, regardless of anyone's rights.

Imagine a country where only two people lived.

One is likely stronger than the other, and could declare himself king.

But the other may be able to persuade the stronger one that it's actually he who has the divine right to rule.

Neither has any legitimate authority; the ‘right’ to command or control the other. They're both using power to achieve their personal goals.

The one with the most power wins.