Deck 2: Power, Legitimacy, and Authority

Question 1

What are Max Weber's three classified types of authority?

A) traditional, legitimate, legal
B) traditional, charismatic, legislative
C) traditional, legal, coercive
D) traditional, charismatic, legal

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following scenarios is likely to result in a demonstration of public authority?

A) Friends select a team captain for a game of football.
B) A student seeks out a mentor.
C) A police officer arrives at the scene of an accident.
D) A professor advises a student on how to best study a topic.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following situations is NOT an example of influence?

A) A reward is offered for information about a crime.
B) Police arrest a suspect.
C) Lawyers argue before the jury.
D) A political candidate speaks to a group of unemployed workers about her plans for job creation.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is the main difference between persuasion and coercion?

A) persuasion is used mostly by governments; coercion is used mostly by citizens.
B) targets of persuasion choose actions freely; targets of coercion act out of fear
C) persuasion consists mainly of argumentation; coercion relies solely on threats of violence
D) persuasion involves manipulation and false information; coercion involves force

Question 5

What are the three types of political power?

A) traditional, legal, charismatic
B) legislative, executive, judicial
C) influence, coercion, authority
D) personal, parliamentary, popular

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT an example of one of Weber's three types of authority?

A) charismatic
B) legitimate
C) traditional
D) legal

Question 7

Which of the following situations is NOT an example of persuasion?

A) reporting to a parole officer in order to avoid arrest
B) suggesting that it is better to attend class than to stay at home
C) throwing a temper tantrum so that others will give in to your demands
D) offering career prospects as a way of gaining support

Question 8

What is something that persuasion is never based on?

A) wealth
B) intelligence
C) self-interest
D) fear

Question 9

Why is authority an inescapable necessity of government?

A) It may substitute for legitimacy.
B) Coercion is expensive.
C) Influence is useless.
D) Persuasion is dangerous.

Question 10

What is authority as a form of power based upon?

A) citizens' respect for the source of the command
B) citizens' fear of punishment
C) citizens' desires to obey the law
D) citizens' hope for an ordered society

Question 11

Which of the following situations is an example of influence?

A) Lawyers arguing a case before a jury
B) Obeying a traffic light requiring one to stop on a deserted road at 3:00 am
C) The issuing of a traffic ticket and monetary fine.
D) Armed thieved robbing a convenience store.

Question 12

Which term refers to strikes or lockouts that occur during collective bargaining?

A) political coercion
B) autocracy
C) authoritative action
D) economic coercion

Question 13

Which of the following actions is LEAST coercive?

A) Arresting a law breaker.
B) Striking for higher wages and job security.
C) Producing effective advertising.
D) Declaring war upon another state.

Question 14

Which of the following relationships is an example of natural authority?

A) the police and the public
B) an older brother and his younger sibling
C) a sergeant and a private in the army
D) a manager and a worker in a factory

Question 15

Which of the following methods is NOT used in Coercion?

A) threats of physical harm
B) appeals to self-interest
C) giving false information
D) threats of financial harm

Question 16

Which of the following is the most precise synonym for influence?

A) authority
B) coercion
C) persuasion
D) control

Question 17

Which of the following is a synonym for natural authority?

A) autocratic authority
B) charismatic authority
C) deference to the judgment of another
D) legitimate authority

Question 18

Suppose a person spontaneously defers to the judgment of another.What is this an example of?

A) traditional authority
B) charismatic leadership
C) natural authority
D) public authority

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT an example of government coercion?

A) Charging fines for parking violations
B) Physically retaining prisoners
C) Running effective political campaigns during elections
D) Sentencing criminals to community service terms

Question 20

What is the only thing that ordinary citizens living under a legitimate government are permitted to use violence for?

A) overthrowing the state
B) protecting their property
C) defending themselves
D) settling disputes

Question 21

Which statement about charisma is most accurate?

A) It is based on a leader's claims of greatness
B) It is based on a social relationship between a leader and his/her followers.
C) It is bestowed on a leader by his/her followers.
D) It is given by a leader to his/her followers.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about legitimacy is NOT true??

A) It fosters a sense of obligation.
B) It is based on respect for authority.
C) It can be achieved through coercion.
D) It is based on beliefs and values that can change over time.

Question 23

Which of the following is the best example of someone possessing legal authority?

A) A prince inherits the crown based on traditional rules.
B) A prophet creates a community structured on laws received from God.
C) A young, attractive, well-spoken and well-educated candidate wins a provincial election.
D) A revolutionary overthrows a monarch and instates himself as the sole ruler of a country.

Question 24

Governments will often try and change negative behaviours in citizens.A government campaign to encourage citizens to become more active would best be described as:

A) manipulation
B) coercion
C) modernization
D) persuasion

Question 25

Which term means acceptance of command?

A) consent
B) birthright
C) authority
D) legitimacy

Question 26

Which of the following is the most essential attribute of government?

A) coercion
B) obligation
C) authority
D) influence

Question 27

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of obligation?

A) It is based on a sense of duty.
B) It stems from a fear of violence.
C) It is a naturally occurring social phenomenon.
D) It is only found in formal social or political institutions.

Question 28

What is traditional authority based upon?

A) Birthright
B) consent of citizens
C) public authority
D) respect for a divinely inspired leader

Question 29

Which term best describes governmental power when it is wielded without legitimacy?

A) Persuasion
B) Influence
C) Authority
D) Coercion

Question 30

What political phenomenon is reflected in the process of modernization?

A) The appearance of leaders who base their rule on historical missions
B) The transition from traditional to legal authority
C) The development of liberal democracies
D) The transition from charismatic to legal authority

Question 31

Which of the following is an example of public authority?

A) little children tagging after older children
B) the human tendency to follow and imitate, as well as lead and initiate
C) someone in authority
D) someone who is an authority

Question 32

What is the focus of legitimacy?

A) the one who commands
B) those who obey
C) Persuasion
D) Popularity

Question 33

Which term best describes governmental power when it is wielded legitimately?

A) Elections
B) Influence
C) Agreement
D) Authority

Question 34

Manipulation by means of false information straddles the border between persuasion and coercion.Which of the following examples of manipulation is MOST like coercion?

A) A cabinet minister focuses on positive policy outcomes while downplaying the negative impacts.
B) A political candidate lies about corruption allegations to secure votes.
C) Political attack ads on TV during election campaigns appeal to voters' emotions, not intellect.
D) A Prime Minister's statement to the media is re-written several times to produce the desired reaction amongst the public.

Question 35

Which term is synonymous with the right to command?

A) Consent
B) birthright
C) authority
D) legitimacy

Question 36

Which term best characterizes the link between authority and obligation?

A) legitimacy
B) fear
C) power
D) force

Question 37

What is the focus of authority?

A) the one who commands
B) power
C) persuasion
D) those who obey

Question 38

What kind of authority usually develops in conjunction with modernization?

A) traditional
B) charismatic
C) legal
D) authoritarian

Question 39

Which term best characterizes a ruler claiming a right to rule on the basis of divine inspiration or an alleged historical mission?

A) charismatic
B) religious
C) an authority
D) traditional

Question 40

Influence is defined as the ability to persuade others to do your will.

Question 41

Targets of persuasion never act voluntarily.

Question 42

Responding to commands because we are convinced that those who exercise authority are justified in doing so is known as_____________.

Question 43

Public authority is deliberately created by human agreement.

Question 44

A child who gets her way by playing on the emotions of her parents is said to be practising a very subtle and sophisticated form of coercive power

Question 45

With legitimacy,government power is _________.Without legitimacy,government power is________.

Question 46

In Canada and Great Britain,authority is still primarily traditional.

Question 47

Someone who is a public authority is what we would call "an authority."

Question 48

Power with coercion creates a legitimate government.

Question 49

Define,compare,and explain the significance of influence and coercion as forms of power.

Question 50

Coercion is defined as the power to convince with subtlety.

Question 51

Legitimacy is the feeling of respect for authority that exists in those who obey.

Question 52

Someone who is "an authority" is called a _____________ authority.On the other hand,someone "in authority" is called a ____________ authority.

Question 53

A form of power in which people obey commands because they respect the source of the command is known as __________.

Question 54

A police officer is an example of __________ or__________ authority.

Question 55

Governmental power without legitimacy is only persuasion.

Question 56

Governmental power without _____________ is only coercion or force; with _________,power becomes authority.

Question 57

Influence appeals to the _______ and also to _________ and ___________.

Question 58

A police officer is "an authority."

Question 59

Define,compare,and explain the significance of natural and public authority.

Question 60

The use of force and the threat to use force against government are defined as political crimes.

Question 61

Is the manipulation of individuals by means of false advertising a form of coercion or persuasion?

Question 62

What is meant by legal authority? Illustrate your response by giving examples of how legal authority works in Canadian society.

Question 63

Define and explain the importance of authority and legitimacy.

Question 64

Out of Weber's three types of authority (traditional,legal and charismatic),which will produce the most stable,or sustainable leadership,and why?

Question 65

Describe the main aspects of traditional authority.What examples of traditional authority are still in operation in Canada?

Question 66

Can we still use the kinds of authority outlined by Max Weber as yardsticks for political leadership?

Question 67

French writer Alexis de Tocqueville observed that countries governed with legal authority had greater social equality than those structured around a more traditional order.Why might this be? In your answer,reflect on the differences between the two types of authority.

Question 68

Define charisma.Is charismatic authority as strong an influence in Canadian society as traditional or legal authority?