Power and Authority - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

13 original exam-style questions - 4 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

Download PDF Jump to mark scheme (page 5)Power and Authority revision guide

This topic is chapter 4 of GCSE Sociology: Social stratification Practice Book.

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6.4 Power and Authority

AQA 8192 · about 55 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show your understanding by using sociological vocabulary and, where asked, your own examples.

Explain one strength and one weakness of Marxist explanations of power in society.

(Total for Question 1 is 4 marks)

Explain the difference between power and authority.

(Total for Question 2 is 4 marks)

Explain two reasons authority can be more stable than power based on force alone.

(Total for Question 3 is 4 marks)

State one similarity between Weber's concept of authority and functionalist ideas about social order.

(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)

State one way legal-rational authority differs from charismatic authority.

(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)

Explain two reasons the state might be seen as having significant power over ordinary citizens' lives.

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Define the term 'power' as used by sociologists.

(Total for Question 7 is 2 marks)

Max Weber identified different types of legitimate authority.

(a)Explain what Weber meant by 'traditional authority'.(2)

(b)Explain what Weber meant by 'charismatic authority'.(2)

(Total for Question 8 is 4 marks)

Weber also identified a third type of authority.

(a)Explain what Weber meant by 'legal-rational authority'.(2)

(b)Give one modern UK example of legal-rational authority, and explain your choice.(2)

(Total for Question 9 is 4 marks)

Explain the pluralist view of how power is distributed in society.

(Total for Question 10 is 4 marks)

Explain C. Wright Mills' elite theory of power.

(Total for Question 11 is 4 marks)

State one criticism that has been made of pluralism.

(Total for Question 12 is 2 marks)

State one criticism that has been made of Mills' elite theory.

(Total for Question 13 is 2 marks)

Mark scheme · 6.4 Power and Authority

Question 1

B1 identifies a genuine strength, e.g. Marxist theories draw attention to how economic ownership can shape political power, which pluralism can underplay
B1 development
B1 identifies a genuine weakness, e.g. critics argue Marxist theories can understate how much genuine competition and change does occur within democratic political systems
B1 development
Answer: A strength of Marxist theories is drawing attention to how economic ownership shapes political power; a weakness is that they can understate how much genuine competition and change occurs within democratic systems.

Question 2

B1 identifies power as the ability to make others do something, which may or may not be seen as legitimate, and can rest on force or the threat of force
B1 identifies authority as power that is widely accepted as legitimate by those subject to it
B1 development, e.g. a robber has power over a victim during a robbery, but not authority, since the victim does not see this power as rightful
B1 further development, e.g. by contrast, a police officer directing traffic has authority, since their power is generally accepted as legitimate
Answer: Power is the ability to make others do something, which may rest on force; authority is power widely accepted as legitimate, e.g. a police officer directing traffic, unlike a robber, who has power but not authority.

Question 3

B1 identifies one reason, e.g. people who accept authority as legitimate are more likely to comply willingly, without needing to be constantly monitored or threatened
B1 development
B1 identifies a second, different reason, e.g. authority can be passed on through recognised procedures, such as an election or agreed succession rules, reducing conflict over who holds power, unlike power gained purely by force, which may invite challenge from other forceful groups
B1 development
Answer: Authority is more stable because people comply willingly without constant monitoring, and because it can be passed on through recognised procedures such as an election, reducing conflict, unlike power gained purely by force.

Question 4

B1 identifies a genuine similarity, e.g. both suggest that widely accepted rules or values help hold society together and make it function smoothly, rather than relying only on force
B1 brief development
Answer: Both suggest that widely accepted rules or values help hold society together and make it function smoothly, rather than relying only on force.

Question 5

B1 identifies a genuine difference, e.g. legal-rational authority is attached to a formal office or role and continues regardless of who holds it, while charismatic authority depends on the personal qualities of a particular individual leader
B1 brief development
Answer: Legal-rational authority is attached to a formal office and continues regardless of who holds it, while charismatic authority depends on a particular individual's personal qualities.

Question 6

B1 identifies one reason, e.g. the state can make and enforce laws that citizens are required to follow, backed by institutions such as the police and courts
B1 development
B1 identifies a second, different reason, e.g. the state can also collect taxes and provide or withhold services, such as benefits, giving it significant influence over people's economic circumstances
B1 development
Answer: The state can make and enforce laws through the police and courts, and can collect taxes and provide or withhold services such as benefits, giving it significant influence over citizens' lives.

Question 7

B1 identifies power as the ability of a person or group to get others to do something, even against their wishes or resistance (oe)
B1 development, e.g. sociologists distinguish power from authority, where authority is power that is widely accepted as legitimate
Answer: Power is the ability of a person or group to get others to do something, even against their wishes; sociologists distinguish this from authority, which is power widely accepted as legitimate.

Question 8

(a) B1 identifies traditional authority as legitimate power based on long-standing customs or traditions, e.g. an inherited position such as a monarchy
(a) B1 development, e.g. people obey because 'this is how it has always been done', not because of a formal legal rule
(a) Answer: Traditional authority is legitimate power based on long-standing customs, such as an inherited monarchy; people obey because this is how things have always been done, not because of a formal rule.
(b) B1 identifies charismatic authority as legitimate power based on the personal qualities of an individual leader, who is seen as having exceptional or inspiring qualities
(b) B1 development, e.g. this kind of authority depends heavily on the particular individual and can be harder to pass on to a successor
(b) Answer: Charismatic authority is legitimate power based on a leader's exceptional personal qualities; it depends heavily on that individual and can be harder to pass on to a successor.

Question 9

(a) B1 identifies legal-rational authority as legitimate power based on formal rules, laws and procedures, e.g. an elected government or a bureaucracy
(a) B1 development, e.g. people obey the office or role, such as 'the Prime Minister', rather than the individual personally, and authority passes to whoever holds the role according to the rules
(a) Answer: Legal-rational authority is legitimate power based on formal rules and procedures; people obey the office or role, not the individual personally, and authority passes on according to the rules.
(b) B1 identifies a genuine example, e.g. an elected Member of Parliament, a judge, or a police officer acting within their legal powers
(b) B1 explanation, e.g. their authority comes from the formal rules and procedures of their office, not from tradition or personal charisma
(b) Answer: An elected Member of Parliament: their authority comes from the formal rules and procedures of their office, not from tradition or personal charisma.

Question 10

B1 identifies that pluralists, such as the political scientist Robert Dahl, argued that power in democratic societies is spread among many different competing groups and interests, e.g. political parties, trade unions, businesses and pressure groups
B1 development, e.g. no single group dominates every area of decision-making, because different groups have influence in different areas
B1 identifies that this view sees democratic institutions, such as elections and a free press, as helping to prevent any one group holding all the power
B1 development, e.g. pluralists therefore see modern democracies as reasonably open to competing interests
Answer: Pluralists, such as Robert Dahl, argued power in democratic societies is spread among competing groups and interests; democratic institutions such as elections help prevent any one group holding all the power.

Question 11

B1 identifies that Mills (1956) argued that real power in society is concentrated in the hands of a small, interconnected elite
B1 development, e.g. Mills identified this 'power elite' as coming from the top of political, military and large business institutions
B1 identifies that Mills argued this elite shares similar backgrounds and interests, and can co-ordinate its influence across these different institutions
B1 development, e.g. this challenges the pluralist view that power is widely and equally spread across competing groups
Answer: Mills (1956) argued real power is concentrated in a small, interconnected elite from the top of political, military and business institutions, sharing similar backgrounds and co-ordinating influence, challenging the pluralist view.

Question 12

B1 identifies a genuine criticism, e.g. critics argue pluralism can understate how unevenly resources such as money and organisation are spread between groups, giving some, such as large businesses, far more influence than others
B1 brief development
Answer: Critics argue pluralism can understate how unevenly resources such as money and organisation are spread between groups, giving some far more influence than others.

Question 13

B1 identifies a genuine criticism, e.g. critics argue it can be difficult to prove that elites in different institutions, such as political, military and business elites, really act together as a single, co-ordinated group, rather than sometimes competing with each other
B1 brief development
Answer: Critics argue it can be difficult to prove that elites in different institutions really act together as a single, co-ordinated group, rather than sometimes competing with each other.

Power and Authority - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

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6.4 Power and Authority

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Question 11

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