Authority in Education – Free Association with Authoritativeness?

Abstract: The current vision of authority goes significantly beyond that of the traditional one and is being viewed within new contexts, which take into account the social status of the individual, their freedom and self-realization, and their capability to manage complicated social relations and challenging life situations. In addition, emphasis is placed on the individual and their social responsibility, self-control, inner discipline, volitional effort and other personal characteristics. The theme of authority is currently topical not only in education but also in broader social contexts, and not only in the Czech Republic. This study has a theoretical character. It explains the etymology of the term authority, compares this term with the substance of authoritativeness, analyses in brief T.W. Adorno´s theory of Authoritarian Personality, characterizes differences in parenting styles, and in particular the specifics of the authoritative and authoritarian styles.