Outline Government

I. The Study of American Government
a. What is Political Power?
b. Political Power
i. Power is the ability of one person to get another to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions.
1. President tells the air force that it can or cannot build the b-2 bomber
2. President’s economics advisers persuade him to impose or lift wage controls.
ii. Authority is the right to use power
1. Excepting decisions by people (either government or not government appointed) who have the authority
2. Formal Authority is the right to exercise power that is vested in a governmental office (President, Senator, or Federal Judge)
iii. Legitimacy is portrayed as the guidelines of laws.
1. Constitution is widely accepted as a source of legitimate authority.
2. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was an effort to see if a new more powerful government could be legitimate.
3. Civil War is a struggle over the legitimacy of the f...