What Is Power and Authority?

3. Manipulating Desires - This third face goes one step further. It suggests that those who exercise power can some times manipulate other people to think that what is about to happen is in their best interests.
So to conclude Power is the capacity to achieve goals by any means necessary, whether legal or illegal. Either by means of peaceful persuasion; economic leverage or force or by a contribution of the above. While Authority, on the other hand, is the rightful use of power. It is the exercise of legitimate power. Authority is often conferred by rules and must be exercised using those rules.
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