The Role of Power in Obedience Essay -- Political Science Law Politics

To Obey or Disobey The Role of Power in loyaltyPeoples termination to obey or disobey the law is based on how much creator (in its variousforms) they perceive the law to have behind it. The power of irresistible impulse is one maintained by everygovernment in human history the power to punish. The power of legitimacy is a much more baneful power the power to appear as an authority and let others presume that you know best.While enforcing law, authorities ordain exercise both these powers. both(prenominal) powers punctuategovernment and societys ability to control us and to get us to obey.Why do we obey? Stanley Milgrams Obedience to Authority, a serial of experiments inwhich subjects were told to administer what they believed to be high-voltage electric shocks topeople who they thought were experimental subjects, shows us the disturbing extent of peoples bow in the face of power. Whereas it was hypothesized that few of the subjects wouldactually shock their supposed experime ntal subjects, the actual experiments showed adisturbingly high level of compliance with authority figures scorn the unembellished pain evincedby the false experimental subjects. (Cover 223) Even when the false experimental subjects(actually just a tape recording of responses) screamed with supposed agony, the vast bulk ofthe subjects, although video display some hesitation and concern for their victims, still neverthelessshocked them again and again at the behest of the authority, even after the victims had gonesilent. (Cover 223) The almost device bow of these subjects was due to the power oflegitimacy and expertise they perceived the authority figures behind the experiment to have. The2authorities were able to impose their will ... ...human, we will everlastingly retain our freedom of thought and our decision to obey or disobey.5Works CitedCover, Robert M. The Violence of jural Acts. Before the Law An Introduction to the LegalProcess. Eds. Bonsignore, Katsh, dErrico, Pipkin , Arons, Rifkin. capital of Massachusetts HoughtonMifflin Company, 2002. 223.King, Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail. Before the Law An Introduction to theLegal Process. Eds. Bonsignore, Katsh, dErrico, Pipkin, Arons, Rifkin. BostonHoughton Mifflin Company, 2002. 158-162.Kropotkin, Peter. Law and Authority. Before the Law An Introduction to the Legal Process.Eds. Bonsignore, Katsh, dErrico, Pipkin, Arons, Rifkin. Boston Houghton MifflinCompany, 2002. 158-162.Tyler, Tom. Why do People Obey the Law? Introduction to Legal Studies A Reader. Ed.Thomas Hilbink. Amherst Collective Copies. 475-495. The Role of Power in Obedience Essay -- Political Science Law PoliticsTo Obey or Disobey The Role of Power in ObediencePeoples decision to obey or disobey the law is based on how much power (in its variousforms) they perceive the law to have behind it. The power of coercion is one maintained by everygovernment in human history the power to punish. The power of legitimacy is a much moresubtle power the power to appear as an authority and let others presume that you know best.While enforcing law, authorities will exercise both these powers. Both powers underscoregovernment and societys ability to control us and to get us to obey.Why do we obey? Stanley Milgrams Obedience to Authority, a series of experiments inwhich subjects were told to administer what they believed to be high-voltage electric shocks topeople who they thought were experimental subjects, shows us the disturbing extent of peoplesobedience in the face of power. Whereas it was hypothesized that few of the subjects wouldactually shock their supposed experimental subjects, the actual experiments showed adisturbingly high level of compliance with authority figures despite the apparent pain evincedby the false experimental subjects. (Cover 223) Even when the false experimental subjects(actually just a tape recording of responses) screamed with supposed agony, the vast majority ofthe subjects , although showing some hesitation and concern for their victims, still neverthelessshocked them again and again at the behest of the authority, even after the victims had gonesilent. (Cover 223) The almost blind obedience of these subjects was due to the power oflegitimacy and expertise they perceived the authority figures behind the experiment to have. The2authorities were able to impose their will ... ...human, we willalways retain our freedom of thought and our decision to obey or disobey.5Works CitedCover, Robert M. The Violence of Legal Acts. Before the Law An Introduction to the LegalProcess. Eds. Bonsignore, Katsh, dErrico, Pipkin, Arons, Rifkin. Boston HoughtonMifflin Company, 2002. 223.King, Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail. Before the Law An Introduction to theLegal Process. Eds. Bonsignore, Katsh, dErrico, Pipkin, Arons, Rifkin. BostonHoughton Mifflin Company, 2002. 158-162.Kropotkin, Peter. Law and Authority. Before the Law An Introduction to the Legal Proces s.Eds. Bonsignore, Katsh, dErrico, Pipkin, Arons, Rifkin. Boston Houghton MifflinCompany, 2002. 158-162.Tyler, Tom. Why do People Obey the Law? Introduction to Legal Studies A Reader. Ed.Thomas Hilbink. Amherst Collective Copies. 475-495.