The State, Power and Authority Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

PERSONALISED 1-TO-1 TUTORING

Get support with clear explanations, practice and feedback (Ages 5 to 16).

Want an ad-free experience? Subscribe to remove ads

What is the state?

The state is the set of institutions that run a country, like Parliament, courts, police and the armed forces.

The state is institutions that last. The government is the group in charge for a time after an election.

Power is the ability to get your own way, even when others resist.

Authority is power that people accept as right. People obey because they think it is fair.

Legitimacy is the belief that a person or group has the right to rule.

Power can rely on force or pressure. Authority is power seen as rightful, so people obey willingly.

Traditional, charismatic and legal-rational authority.

Authority based on rules and laws, for example elected leaders, judges and the police.

Making people do something by using or threatening force, like arrest or punishment.

A system where adults choose leaders by voting. Authority comes from free and fair elections.

Power is spread across many groups, like parties and pressure groups. No single group controls the state.

The state serves the ruling class. It helps to keep the class system in place.