What constitutes authority?

Authority is a complex concept. The broader an authority overlooks, the harder it becomes to justify it. Raz argues that legal authority derives its power from social recognition and obedience. While I do understand his reasoning for this claim, I don’t understand his reasoning that constitutes the source of authority.

There are many different levels of authority that apply to many different situations or aspects of everyday life. For example, a professor beholds authority over their students. A professor controls who talks in class, what the assignments are, and the grades each student receives. This idea coincides with that of Raz; it is widely accepted in schools that the professor is in-charge of class. The professor’s power over their students is sponsored by the institution they work for. In all, the students listen to the professor because they want to continue to be educated and get good grades.

The United States of America is a much larger institution than a school or university. I agree with law that the legal authority of the United States is universally adhered to in the country, but what about the source of the governments’ authority? Raz argues that the authority of the US laws come from it being widely accepted. I find that there is more to this. The United States legal system gains its legal authority fundamentally because it seeks overall well-being for everyone under the law. I feel some laws are left vague and open to interpretation for a reason; because everyone has different legal situations that require different interpretation of the law.