Okay, one essay almost down, one more up. This one is the definition paper where we (surprise!) define a word of our choice and write an essay based on that. Well, I chose authority because it was the easiest one out of all the choices, mainly because we talked about it so much in CIV these last few days. The first image of authority I see is that picture from Shang Shu with that emperor in a formal robe sitting in his massive chair surrounded by servants. I suppose that's what I define authority as, someone who gets to order everyone around but no one opposes because they're all to scared to say anything. Two other examples I recall (from personal experience) that give me a similar impression are a teacher and a driving examiner. So, I wrote the essay mainly from personal experiences.

However, I also stick in other great authority figures like Hitler, Mao Zedong, and Mother Theresa. They weren't handed their authority by a mandate of heaven, sucession, or a bureaucarcy. These people attained it for themselves. In Mao Zedong's case, it was the use of a huge army. Mother Theresa, on the other hand, definitely relied on the use of influence. Hitler is harder to say. He started with influence through his book Mien Kampf but later gained power through the use of the SS and other special armies. I guess with him, it brings back the idea that authority can be both a good thing and a bad thing.