Authority

Authority to me is what you give someone that you believe should have the ability to direct people or to help and take care of others safety. When your child is trapped in a fire, you trust in the authority of the firefighters to save your child and protect others, so you listen to their directions. In a hostage situation, you would place your trust in the police to resolve the crisis. Basically, authority is given to those you would trust in an emergency. Another example of authority is of someone who can make difficult decisions when no one else will. For example, many generals in the past have had to make the decision to send people to their deaths to win a strategic victory, knowing that several thousand might die, because in the end, it shall save millions of lives.