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Bases of Power

Categories: Regulations

Where power comes from. Since Thanos already has the one Infinity Gauntlet, everyone else is stuck getting power elsewhere. Here are the sources:

- Coercive Power: Comply or else! People will comply if they are genuinely afraid of “or else.”

- Reward Power: Bribery to get compliance.

- Legitimate Power: People are brainwashed enough to believe that the person has power, typically due to position.

- Personal Power: An individual who’s able to radiate pure awesomeness. As a result, people flock to him/her and will comply with that individual.

- Expert Power: People bowing down to the Brainiac in the room. It’s the view that a person has so much expertise that people should do what he says.

- Referent Power: Someone who is well respected and liked. People want to please this individual and will likely do what she says.

People with the power adopt power tactics to get others to comply with their demands or desires. For example, someone using the Reward Power base may give somebody something…like a raise, or a better desk, or that nice corner office, etc., in order to get her to do something. Someone using the Referent Power base may just coax someone with her charm…like a vampire stare.

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)