Authority is commonly understood as the legitimate power of a person or group over other people. In a civil state , authority may be practiced by legislative , executive , and judicial branches of government , each of which has authority and is an authority. The term "authority" has many nuances and distinctions within various academic fields ranging from sociology to political science .
69-450: Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority , power , or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived from the Latin word secernere , "to distinguish" or "to set apart", the passive participle ( secretum ) meaning "having been set apart", with
138-614: A First Secretary (Economic) would represent an officer/middle-manager from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. While such persons may hold diplomatic status temporarily, they are not considered to be part of the Foreign Service. After the merger of the Consular and Diplomatic Corps, the current eight grades of Spanish career diplomats are (in ascending order): His Majesty's Diplomatic Service differentiates between officers in
207-621: A Free King and His Natural Subjects which advocated his right to rule on the basis of the concept of the divine right of kings , a theological concept that has a basis in multiple religions, but in this case, Christianity, tracing this right to the apostolic succession . Sovereign kings and queens in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms are considered the foundations of judicial, legislative and executive authority. The foundation of American legitimate authority rests on
276-539: A choice which is the reason of struggle between congress and the president as well as with the American courts. The latter's role is limited by the authorities' power to regulate property rights without the due process rights mandatorily applied by the courts. Diplomatic rank Diplomatic rank is a system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations . A diplomat's rank determines many ceremonial details, such as
345-419: A country form the diplomatic corps . Ambassadors have precedence over chargés, and precedence within each rank is determined by the date on which diplomatic credentials were presented. The longest-serving ambassador is the dean of the diplomatic corps , who speaks for the entire diplomatic corps on matters of diplomatic privilege and protocol. In many Catholic countries, the papal nuncio is always considered
414-511: A heritable factor. Authority and its attributes have been identified as of particular relevance to children as they regard their parents and teachers. The three attributes of authority have been described as status , specialist skills or knowledge , and social position . Children consider the type of command, the characteristics of the authority figure, and the social context when making authority conclusions. Although children regard these three types of authority attributes, they first assess
483-551: A hierarchy between careers. However, when working abroad, it is common for Chancery Assistants and Chancery Officers to be assigned to sensitive functions, such as the Vice-Consul, and/or as Head of Sectors such as administration, accounting, communications, processing of political, commercial, diplomatic or consular information. There are six ranks in the Diplomat career, in hierarchical order: Embaixador / Embaixadora
552-562: A high degree of authority, such as general secretary (or, following usage in the Norman language , secretary-general ), first secretary , and executive secretary . In a club or society , the secretary is also considered to be, in most cases, the third person in charge of the organization, after the president/chairman and vice president/vice chairman. In smaller organizations, the secretary typically takes meeting minutes , notifies members of meetings, contacts various persons in relation to
621-728: A limited number of low-level BB1 staff abroad. In large Australian missions an SES officer who is not the head of mission could be posted with the rank of Minister. The Brazilian Foreign Service ( Serviço Exterior Brasileiro ) is made up of three careers: the Diplomat Career, the Chancery Officer Career and the Chancery Assistant Career. There are no ranks in the Chancery Assistant or Chancery Officer careers, nor
690-530: A long duration, not the micro social psychological study of children per se. There is nothing in Weber's published work in the Max Weber Gesamtausgabe that directly deals with children's perceptions in "formations" with traditional legitimate authority, prior to the emergence of modern capitalism . Hofstede Insights details "Power Distance" as: "Power distance is defined as the extent to which
759-572: A matter of custom. Furthermore, outside this traditional pattern of bilateral diplomacy, as a rule on a permanent residency basis (though sometimes doubling elsewhere), certain ranks and positions were created specifically for multilateral diplomacy: Special envoys have been created ad hoc by individual countries, treaties and international organizations including the United Nations. A few examples are provided below: Most countries worldwide have some form of internal rank, roughly parallel to
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#1732758194223828-632: A minister to a smaller monarchy or a republic. For example, in the waning years of the Second French Empire , the United Kingdom sent an ambassador to Paris, while Sweden-Norway and the United States sent ministers. The rule that only monarchies could send ambassadors was more honored in the breach than the observance. This had been true even before the Congress of Vienna, as England continued to appoint ambassadors after becoming
897-421: A nation-state. An argument for political anarchy is made by Michael Huemer in his book The Problem of Political Authority . On the other side, one of the main arguments for the legitimacy of the state is some form of the social contract theory developed by Thomas Hobbes in his 1668 book, Leviathan , or by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his political writings on the social contract . In sociology , authority
966-486: A number are still degree-holders, they are usually candidates from mainstream universities, or top university graduates who did so without "good" Honours. The FSAS class also include Polytechnic graduates (who possess Diplomas). Given the above, FSOs typically occupy the managerial positions, while FSASes generally perform more operational roles. [ Note : FSOs are typically the diplomats, while FSASes serve as support staff.] Officials from both schemes occupy billets at both
1035-432: A political concept. Weber defined domination (authority) as the chance of commands being obeyed by a specifiable group of people. Legitimate authority is that which is recognized as legitimate and justified by both the ruler and the ruled. Legitimated rule results in what Weber called the monopoly over the use of coercive violence in a given territory. In the modern world, such authority is typically delegated to police and
1104-651: A republic in 1649. Countries that overthrew their monarchs proved to be unwilling to accept the lower rank accorded to a republic. After the Franco-Prussian War , the French Third Republic continued to send and receive ambassadors. The rule became increasingly untenable as the United States grew into a Great Power. The United States followed the French precedent in 1893, and began to exchange ambassadors with other Great Powers. Historically,
1173-505: A similar nesting of authority. His legitimacy must be acknowledged, not just by citizens, but by those who control other valued resources: his immediate staff, his cabinet, military leaders and in the long run, the administration and political apparatus of the entire society. Authority can be created expressly when public entities act publicly, using the same means to communicate the grant of authority to their agents that they use to communicate this to third parties, apparent authority describes
1242-584: A specific or technical field. Since administrative and technical staff benefit from only limited diplomatic immunity , some countries may routinely appoint support staff as attachés. Attaché does not, therefore, denote any rank or position (except in Soviet and post-Soviet diplomatic services, where attaché is the lowest diplomatic rank of a career diplomat). Note that many traditional functionary roles, such as press attaché or cultural attaché , are not formal titles in diplomatic practice, although they may be used as
1311-438: Is broadly or provisionally understood as a claim to political authority that is legitimated . Historical applications of authority in political terms include the formation of the city-state of Geneva , and experimental treatises involving the topic of authority in relation to education include Emile, or On Education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau . As David Laitin defines, authority is a key concept to be defined in determining
1380-403: Is the legitimate or socially approved power which one person or a group possesses and practices over another. The element of legitimacy is vital to the notion of authority and is the main means by which authority is distinguished from the more general concept of power . Power can be exerted by the use of force or violence . Authority, by contrast, depends on the acceptance by subordinates of
1449-675: Is the honorary dignity conceded permanently when a Minister of First Class assumes a Post overseas. It can also be a temporary assignment, when carried on by a lower-rank diplomat or Brazilian politician of high level. The ranks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China are defined by the Law on Diplomatic Personnel Stationed Abroad, passed in 2009 by the National People's Congress : The following ranks are used in
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#17327581942231518-517: Is the official title of leaders of most Communist political parties . When a Communist party is the ruling party in a Communist-led one-party state , the general secretary is typically the country's de facto leader. Examples include: General secretary is the official title of leaders of most Dravidian political parties , that are politically influential in Tamil Nadu of Southern India . Examples include: Examples include: First secretary
1587-465: Is the title of the chief officer or leader in many organizations, and is also a modern diplomatic rank . Examples include: Examples include: Within many organizations, the title of secretary is combined with that of treasurer . Authority In the exercise of governance , the terms authority and power are inaccurate synonyms. The term authority identifies the political legitimacy , which grants and justifies rulers' right to exercise
1656-436: Is used for any diplomatic agent who does not fit in the standard diplomatic ranks, often because they are not (or were not traditionally) members of the sending country's diplomatic service or foreign ministry , and were therefore only "attached" to the diplomatic mission. The most frequent use is for military attachés , but the diplomatic title may be used for any specific individual or position as required, generally related to
1725-791: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are graded into four broad bands (BB1 to BB4), with the Senior Executive Service (SES Band 1 to SES Band 3) following above. Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Consuls-General usually come from the Senior Executive Service, although in smaller posts the head of mission may be a BB4 officer. Generally speaking (and there are variations in ranking and nomenclature between posts and positions), Counsellors are represented by BB4 officers; Consuls and First and Second Secretaries are BB3 officers and Third Secretaries and Vice Consuls are BB2 officers. DFAT only posts
1794-840: The consent of the governed . This understanding of political authority and the exercise of political powers in the American context traces back to the writings of the Founding Fathers , including the arguments put forward in The Federalist Papers by James Madison , Alexander Hamilton and the first chief justice of the United States John Jay , and was referenced in the unanimous United States Declaration of Independence : We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
1863-484: The order of precedence at official processions, table seatings at state dinners, the person to whom diplomatic credentials should be presented, and the title by which the diplomat should be addressed. The current system of diplomatic ranks was established by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961). There are three top ranks, two of which remain in use: The body of diplomats accredited to
1932-505: The order of precedence had been a matter of great dispute. European powers agreed that the papal nuncio and imperial ambassador would have precedence, but could not agree on the relative precedence of the kingdoms and smaller countries. In 1768, the French and Russian ambassadors to Great Britain even fought a duel over who had the right to sit next to the imperial ambassador at a court ball. After several diplomatic incidents between their ambassadors, France and Spain agreed in 1761 to let
2001-878: The "Senior Management Structure" (SMS; equivalent to the Senior Civil Service grades of the Home Civil Service ) and those in the "delegated grades". SMS officers are classified into four pay-bands, and will serve in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London as (in descending order of seniority) Permanent Under-Secretary (O-10), Directors-General (O-9), Directors (O-8), and Heads of department or deputy directors (O-7). Overseas Ambassadors and High Commissioners (in Commonwealth countries) are generally drawn from all four SMS bands (and
2070-545: The 16th president of the United States Abraham Lincoln would reiterate this fundamental source of legitimacy. "Our government rests in public opinion," Lincoln said in 1856. In his 1854 speech at Peoria, Illinois , Lincoln espoused the proposition “that each man should do precisely as he pleases with all which is exclusively his own," a principle existing "at the foundation of the sense of justice." This sense of personal ownership and stewardship
2139-480: The Central Committee ". When a communist party is in power, the general secretary is usually the country's de facto leader (though sometimes this leader also holds state-level positions to monopolize power, such as a presidency or premiership in order to constitute de jure leadership of the state), such as China , North Korea , Vietnam , Laos and Cuba . In England, the term secretarius
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2208-649: The D7 delegated grade) depending on the size and importance of the mission, as are Consuls-General, Deputy Heads of Mission, and Counsellors in larger posts. (Deputy Heads of Mission at the most significant Embassies, for example those in Washington and in Paris , are known as Ministers.) In the "delegated grades", officers are graded by number from 1 to 7; the grades are grouped into bands lettered A‑D (A1 and A2; B3; C4 and C5; and D6 and D7). Overseas, A2 grade officers hold
2277-564: The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: There are five ranks in the French Diplomatic Service: (in ascending order) There are two additional ranks for ICT specialists (also in ascending order): The German Foreign Service uses a rank system that is connected to that of the rest of the civil administration and to military ranks through a common pay table. All ranks also occur in female form. The ranks at
2346-644: The Federal Law of 27 July 2010 No.205-FZ. Diplomatic ranks are not to be confused with diplomatic positions (posts). The Singapore Foreign Service also has a merged Diplomatic and Consular Corps. Its career diplomats and diplomatic support staff are split across two discrete career schemes, namely: (a) Foreign Service Officers ; and (b) Foreign Service Administration Specialists . Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) FSOs are selected through multiple rounds of highly competitive written and observational psychometric and neuropsychological evaluations. Being one of
2415-475: The French Empire" was known as the " United States Minister to France " and addressed as "Monsieur le Ministre". An Ambassador was regarded as the personal representative of his sovereign as well as his government. Only major monarchies would exchange Ambassadors with each other, while smaller monarchies and republics only sent Ministers. Because of diplomatic reciprocity, Great Powers would only send
2484-489: The Hungarian Foreign Service are the following.: In Italy , ranks and functions are not exactly connected: each rank can cover several functions. Moreover, several exceptions apply. There are about 30 people who hold the rank of Ambassador. Therefore, most of the about 150 Italian embassies or permanent representations are held by a Minister Plenipotentiary: traditionally, ambassadors are appointed to
2553-860: The Mexican Foreign Service. In ascending order, the five ranks of the Portuguese diplomatic career are, as defined in the Statute of the Diplomatic Career ( Estatuto da Carreira Diplomática ): Ministers Plenipotentiary who have been in that rank for three or more years are called "Minister Plenipotentiary, First Class" ( ministro plenipotenciário de 1.ª classe ), those who have been in the rank for less than three years are called "Minister Plenipotentiary, Second Class" ( ministro plenipotenciário de 2.ª classe ). Embassy Secretaries who have been in that rank for six years or more and in
2622-529: The Political track take precedence over the rest, as all Heads of Mission (HOMs) or Deputy Chiefs of Mission (DCMs) are generally Political Officers. [ Note : The Political track is solely for FSOs.] Other ministries and agencies Personnel seconded from other government agencies receive different protocol-based suffixes and titles from those in the Foreign Service, which differ from the wider public and military services' ranks/grades and titles. For instance,
2691-491: The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Singapore's Overseas Missions (Embassies/High Commissions/Consulates-General/Consulates) - which number over 50. FSOs are appointed to the rank of Second Secretary or higher, while FSASes are posted according to their substantive grades (typically ranging from Mission Support Officer to Attache - although in very rare cases some senior FSASes may be promoted up to
2760-538: The appointments, the budgeting process and has the right and capacity to review regulatory rules on a case-by-case basis. Since the time of the Reagan administration the president was informed with a cost–benefit analysis of the regulation. The creation of a regulatory agency requires an Act of Congress which specifies its jurisdiction, the related authority and delegated powers. Regulatory authorities can be qualified as independent agencies or executive branch agencies,
2829-478: The child, and will believe themselves that they have a duty to obey them and internalize their values. While the study of children in modern capitalist societies does look at the psychological aspects of children's understanding of legitimate authority at the level of symbolic interaction it is also true that is an extrapolated assumption based on one interpretation of a broad Comparative Historical Sociological (CHS) analysis of legitimate authority in many societies over
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2898-569: The court system. Weber divided legitimate authority into three types: A constitution may define the extent of the power of rational-legal authority. Modern societies depend on legal-rational authority. Government officials are the best example of this form of authority, which is prevalent all over the world. History has witnessed several social movements or revolutions against a system of traditional or legal-rational authority started by charismatic authorities. According to Weber, what distinguishes authority from coercion , force and power on
2967-461: The date of arrival determine their precedence. In 1760, Portugal attempted to apply seniority to all ambassadors, but the rule was rejected by the other European courts. The Congress of Vienna finally put an end to these disputes over precedence. After an initial attempt to divide countries into three ranks faltered on the question of which country should be in each rank, the Congress instead decided to divide diplomats into three ranks. A fourth rank
3036-533: The dean of the diplomatic corps. The ranks established by the Vienna Convention (1961) modify a more elaborate system of ranks that was established by the Congress of Vienna (1815): The rank of envoy was short for "envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary", and was more commonly known as "minister". For example, the "envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States to
3105-592: The diplomatic career for eight years or more are called "First Embassy Secretary" ( primeiro-secretário de embaixada ), those who have been in the rank for three years or more and for five years or more in the diplomatic career are called "Second Embassy Secretary" ( segundo-secretário de embaixada ), and those who have been in that rank for less than three years are called "Third Embassy Secretary" ( terceiro-secretário de embaixada ). The diplomatic ranks in Russian Federation were introduced with enactment of
3174-421: The diplomatic ranks, which are used in their foreign service or civil service in general. The correspondence is not exact, however, for various reasons, including the fact that according to diplomatic usage, all Ambassadors are of equal rank, but Ambassadors of more senior rank are typically sent to more important postings. Some countries may make specific links or comparisons to military ranks . Officers from
3243-457: The eventual connotation of something private or confidential, as with the English word secret. A secretarius was a person, therefore, overseeing business confidentially, usually for a powerful individual (a king, pope, etc.). The official title of the leader of most communist and socialist political parties is the " General Secretary of the Central Committee " or " First Secretary of
3312-532: The exercise of governmental authority. In the United States , for instance, there is a prevailing belief that the political system as instituted by the Founding Fathers should accord the populace as much freedom as reasonable; that government should limit its authority accordingly, known as limited government . Political anarchism is a philosophy which rejects the legitimacy of political authority and adherence to any form of sovereign rule or autonomy of
3381-404: The form of popular power, and, in more administrative terms, bureaucratic or managerial techniques. In terms of bureaucratic governance, one limitation of the governmental agents of the executive branch, as outlined by George A. Krause, is that they are not as close to the popular will as elected representatives are. The claims of authority can extend to national or individual sovereignty , which
3450-451: The legitimacy of the authority figure in question using the nature of the commands they give. For example, a teacher that does not appear to have legitimate power from the child's perspective (perhaps because she or he cannot control the class well) will not be obeyed. Regarding parenting, authoritative parents who are warm and high in behavioral control but low in psychological control are more likely to be seen as having legitimate authority by
3519-623: The less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally", which can be interpreted as respect for authority. Generally, ex-communist countries, poor countries, and non-Protestant countries have the highest power distance (respect for inequality in the distribution of power). According to Hofstede Insights 2021 country comparison, all countries with power distance below 50 are Western Protestant democracies, except for Austria. Such studies are attempts to apply ideas found in Weber that he himself did not postulate directly and they assume
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#17327581942233588-765: The likes of Oxford/Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, or any of the Ivy League institutions in the United States) or from Singapore's two most prestigious universities (i.e. the National University of Singapore/Nanyang Technological University - which are consistently ranked in the world's top 20 universities). Foreign Service Administration Specialists (FSASes) FSASes, on the other hand, while still selected through some manner of written and observational assessments, are typically those bearing more conventional educational qualifications. While
3657-489: The most exclusive and sought-after roles in the entire Singapore Civil Service, FSO candidates are typically drawn from graduates of the world's top universities. This is especially the case for candidates vying to be emplaced on the extremely competitive Political Track, of which only around 20 are recruited nationwide annually. Regardless, most candidates who are eventually selected, possess degrees with First Class Honours either from either top universities globally (particularly
3726-638: The most important representations, such as London , Paris , Washington , New Delhi and Peking embassies and representations to the UN in New York City and the EU in Brussels . After the merger of the Consular and Diplomatic Corps, the current grades of Mexican career diplomats are (in ascending order) There are additional ranks for Administrative specialists and Staff, this civil servants are also part of
3795-421: The most influential texts. In European political philosophy , the jurisdiction of political authority, the location of sovereignty , the balancing of notions of freedom and authority, and the requirements of political obligations have been core questions from the time of Plato and Aristotle to the present. Most democratic societies are engaged in an ongoing discussion regarding the legitimate extent of
3864-464: The nation-state as a basic unit of "countries" rather than look at all of the various political economic "formations" in which Weber himself was most directly interested. The political authority in the British context can be traced to James VI and I of Scotland who wrote two political treatises called Basilikon Doron and The True Law of Free Monarchies: Or, The Reciprocal and Mutual Duty Between
3933-405: The one hand, and leadership , persuasion and influence on the other hand, is legitimacy. Superiors, he states, feel that they have a right to issue commands; subordinates perceive an obligation to obey (see also Milgram experiment ). Social scientists agree that authority is but one of several resources available to incumbents in formal positions. For example, a Head of State is dependent upon
4002-428: The other ambassadors. In modern diplomatic practice, there are a number of diplomatic ranks below Ambassador. Since most missions are now headed by an ambassador, these ranks now rarely indicate a mission's (or its host nation's) relative importance, but rather reflect the diplomat's individual seniority within their own nation's diplomatic career path and in the diplomatic corps in the host nation: The term attaché
4071-557: The power of government; and the term power identifies the ability to accomplish an authorized goal, either by compliance or by obedience ; hence, authority is the power to make decisions and the legitimacy to make such legal decisions and order their execution. Ancient understandings of authority trace back to Rome and draw later from Catholic ( Thomistic ) thought and other traditional understandings. In more modern terms, forms of authority include transitional authority (exhibited in, for example, Cambodia ), public authority in
4140-548: The pursuit of Happiness .--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed , --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Later, speeches by
4209-542: The range and role of political theory, science and inquiry. The relevance of a grounded understanding of authority includes the basic foundation and formation of political, civil and/or ecclesiastical institutions or representatives. In recent years, however, authority in political contexts has been challenged or questioned. There have been several contributions to the debate of political authority . Among others, Hannah Arendt , Carl Joachim Friedrich , Thomas Hobbes , Alexandre Kojève and Carl Schmitt have provided some of
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#17327581942234278-411: The rank of Third/Second/First Secretary). [ Note : FSOs and FSASes are on discrete career tracks. Hence, even the rare FSAS who holds a senior diplomatic rank on post, will not enjoy a similar substantive grade or pay to that of an FSO.] Regardless of rank, personnel are typically split across three tracks: (a) Political , (b) Administration and Consular , (c) Administration and Technical . Officers on
4347-754: The right of those above them to give them orders or directives . The definition of authority in contemporary social science remains a matter of debate. Max Weber in his essay " Politics as a Vocation " (1919) divided legitimate authority into three types . Others, like Howard Bloom , suggest a parallel between authority and respect/reverence for ancestors . Max Weber , in his sociological and philosophical work, identified and distinguished three types of legitimate domination ( Herrschaft in German, which generally means 'domination' or 'rule'), that have sometimes been rendered in English translation as types of authority, because English-speakers do not see domination as
4416-496: The situation when a principal has placed restrictions on an agent that are not known to a third party, and restrictions on government agents are accomplished in the open, through laws and regulations. In this setting, all parties concerned is assumed or supposed to know the laws and regulations of government. Recently the concept of authority has also been discussed as a guiding principle in human-machine interaction design. Genetic research indicates that obedience to authority may be
4485-562: The society, administers the day-to-day activities of the organization, and creates the order of business. The secretary of a non-governmental organization or international non-governmental organization can combine the function with that of vice president/vice chairman. General secretary occurs as the title of a ministerial position of authority found in various organizations, such as trade unions , communist and socialist parties , and international non-governmental organizations . Examples include: General secretary or first secretary
4554-409: The term was applied to more and varied functions, leading to compound titles to specify the authority associated with its use, like general secretary or financial secretary . In some countries, such as the United States, the term secretary is used to indicate the holder of a cabinet -level post. There are a number of popular variations of the title used to indicate that the secretary in question has
4623-469: Was added by the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818) . Each diplomatic rank had precedence over the lower ranks, and precedence within each rank was determined by the date that their credentials were presented. The papal nuncio could be given a different precedence than the other ambassadors. The Holy Roman Empire had ceased to exist in 1806, so the Austrian ambassador would accumulate seniority along with
4692-400: Was integral to the practice of self-government as Lincoln saw it by a Republican nation and its people. This was because, as Lincoln also declared, "No man is good enough to govern another man, without that other's consent." The U.S. president is called to give account to the legislature for the conduct of the whole government, including that of regulatory agencies. The president influences
4761-503: Was used "from the beginning of the thirteenth century in the varying meanings of a confidential clerk, an ambassador, or a member of the king's council". In the fourteenth century, the title became strongly associated with the keeper of the king's signet . From the Renaissance to the late 19th century, men involved in the daily correspondence and the activities of the powerful assumed the title of secretary. With time, like many titles,
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