Authority

Introduction

Authority is the power of a person or group over others. In a governance context, authority refers to the political legitimacy that grants governments the right to act within a legal framework. In a cultural context, authority refers to the compliance or obedience that individuals show to sources of authority or power.

Conservative Perspective

Conservatives, especially compared to liberal and progressive counterparts, have a reverence for authority. This is because they deem authority as a pivotal element in upholding social order and harmony within society. A governmental-authority example is conservative reverence for the law, police, and military.  

Conservatives hold that hierarchies are natural parts of society. Some people are meant to lead and excel. Existing and acting appropriately within these hierarchies is a good and natural way for societies to exist. For example, conservatives respect the authority of elders and social leaders more than liberal and progressive parts. Conservative societies such as Japan, where there is great respect for parents, grandparents, and community leaders are examples of this reverence for non-governmental authority.

Complex Relationship with Government Authority

Counterintuitively, conservatives often harbor a profound mistrust and even animosity towards some forms of government authority. They perceive expansive governments as encroaching upon individual liberties and constraining economic prosperity. This antipathy towards government intervention manifests in beliefs such as small government and reduced taxation.  

In this way, conservatives are believers in the idea of authority and simultaneously mistrusting of government, thus believing in strong boundaries to government scope.