Meaning and Features of Authority — De jure and De facto Authority

After a coup, the general in the fort commands the army and the streets obey him; the deposed president, sitting in exile, still holds the office under the written constitution. Which one has authority? Political science's answer is: both, of different kinds — and telling them apart is exactly what this topic trains you to do.

In two minutes

De jure authority is the right to rule recognised by law or the constitution; de facto authority is the right to rule that is actually obeyed and exercised in practice, whether or not it is legally recognised.

The rest of this chapter

The full explanation, the cheat sheet, every previous-year question at every mark weight, the quiz and the answer skeletons are part of Political Science – II: Foundations of Political Obligation on LexBlox Semester. Sign in to unlock the subject, or read Module 1 of Legal Language and Writing free.