authority is derived from the office a person occupies, rather then the characteristics of the individual who holds the position.
we believe that a focus on power and authority is integral to the study of politics as a human activity concerned with rule (or decision) making and application, with the objective of resolving conflicts emanating from the diversity of people interests and beliefs. however, many other accounts of what the study of politics is about have a different emphasis, and should not be ignored. for instance, w.w.willoughby in the nature of the siate regarded politics as: