Reflection paper Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection paper - Article Example In its pure form, which the author is quick to point out has not yet been discovered 'in nature', this form of authority rests on the individual's fitness to fulfill the legal obligations of the office he or she holds. This fitness is based on the person's specific training and demonstration of competence to carry out the duties of that office. Obedience is owed to that office and the legal elements it governs, but does not extend outside of this sphere in any way. The office itself is not a personal space for the individual filling it but is rather a space reserved for the carrying out of the legal duties of the position the person fills. Both in seeking redress and in issuing commands, the order of the established hierarchy is followed and each office within the hierarchy is filled with other individuals equally tested and deemed fit to fulfill the duties of that particular office. In theory, a hierarchy established on this pure form would run like clockwork, each individual acting within the boundaries of his or her office to which he or she is perfectly suited and trained and governed by clear laws of operation. Only the business of the office is conducted with little or no personal overlap of outside interests. To ensure all runs smoothly, there are set salaries for each of the positions within the hierarchy and all compensation is fulfilled in terms of money rather than 'in-kind' benefices. This is because benefices are difficult to quantify and often carry with them external, additional obligations. This type of authority, in an imperfect form, is found throughout the world almost every time you turn around. The republic of the United States is formed on such a system in which the President is elected to his office and appoints a number of supposedly qualified individuals to fill specific offices within his administration, each of which has their own set of obligations and responsibilities, their own hierarchical structure below them, and their own set o f laws to follow regarding how they conduct business. This is only an imperfect example, though, because it is not necessarily true that the electorate will vote for the most qualified candidate for President or that the elected President will place the most qualified candidates within the individual offices within his administration. Compensation for offices are frequently a mixture of salaries based on money and benefices consisting of favors, gifts, or other positive outcomes for the recipient. While behavior is ruled by law, there is often a great deal of politics occurring within this hierarchy, providing means by which laws are bent, broken, amended or over-ruled based upon a different system of obligation. Many of these same issues are also present in smaller organizations in which this form of authority is in place. These include corporations of all types as well as non-profit, philanthropic endeavors. Of course, in these smaller organizations, the rules can be bent to a gre ater or lesser degree simply because they are company policies rather than actual laws. In addition, the appointment of individuals to different offices can be based on things such as personal relationships or favors owed rather than actual fitness and training specific to the tasks of the office. In almost all systems of this sort, there is some reliance