Understanding Authority and Political Participation
Authority
Authority: The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience, drawing on legality. It is the right to command, direct, be heard, and obeyed by all.
Stories
a) Institutions or organizations dating from more power: Military authorities, the military, state authority.
b) Faculty authority or jurisdiction of a charge: The authority of the Head of State, the Mayor of a town, or the Army General.
c) The very persons who have a fact: Esperanza Aguirre, JL. R. Zapatero.
Types of Authority (According to Sociologist Max Weber)
- Traditional: Based on the habits of the past. Examples include feudal society and the Old Regime monarchy (kings, counts, etc.). This authority often has a symbolic character, lacking in the practice of political power (e.g., the Spanish monarchy).
- Charismatic: Based on enthusiasm. There is a leader with exceptional qualities that fans admire and respect (e.g., Jesus, Socrates).
- Legal-Rational: Based on the will of the citizens and positive laws. It originated in Classical Greece (5th century BC) and arose in the West with the American and French Revolutions. Today, it is characteristic of democratic countries (e.g., the USA, Spain).
- Rules: Based on the standards set by a constitution or bylaws.
- Cognitive: Based on the knowledge possessed by the subject of authority, which allows them to argue rationally and coherently.
Rational-Legal Authority and Democracy
- It is the proper authority of democratic states.
- It originates from Greek democracy (demo = people, kratos = authority), meaning “Government of the People.”
- The legislative power (to make laws) resides in the courts and parliament.
- The people can enact bills through referendums.
Principles of Legality
- Offenses are acts and omissions that the laws identify as such.
- You cannot be punished for crimes that are not on the bill.
- The judge has to abide by the penalty or punishment.
The Principle of Legitimacy
- It consists of the coincidence or adequacy of the luxuries to principles, values, and moral requirements that ensure respect for human dignity and human rights.
Division of Powers
In a state, there is a single, undivided sovereign power.
- Legislature: General Courts and Parliament. Its function is to make laws and control the government.
- Executive Power: To direct the state administration, domestic or international affairs.
- Judiciary: Judges, magistrates, prosecutors. Their function is to administer justice.
Plurality of Parties
Political Party
- Organizations of one or more people.
- Function: To develop an ideological project to achieve power peacefully and govern.
- In a democratic state, there are several parties (e.g., PP, PSOE in Spain).
- In a non-democratic state, there is only one party (dictatorship).
Features
- Sociological: In society, there are different people with different interests and desires.
- Ideological: Different ideologies to see political and economic issues.
- Constitutional guarantees: Freedom and equality for all citizens, who can replace the government if they so choose (through voting).
Political Participation
It is the citizens’ engagement in issues and political processes.
Types
- Institutionalized or formal: There are rules and official channels (e.g., being a candidate).
- Non-institutionalized: It does not conform to any rules and depends on the free will of citizens (e.g., demonstrations).
Elections
Elections must be secret, free, and transparent in a democracy.
Referendum
A legal procedure under which citizens vote to accept or reject a government proposal (e.g., constitutional reform).
Political Participation Requirements
- Having reached the age of majority.
- Being included on the electoral roll.
- Having Spanish nationality or being a member of the EU.
- Not having been deprived of political rights by a final decision.
- Members of the royal house, magistrates, and judges (active) cannot be elected.
Voting
Historically, voting was based on a census, where only men with power or academic qualifications could vote.
Features of Voting
- Free: Each person chooses who to vote for (X, Y, or Z) or can refrain from voting.
- Secret: To avoid intimidation or being bought.
- Equal: Everyone’s vote has the same value.