Quote Originally Posted by Ludens
I always thought that power is taken, while authority is awarded.

So: power comes from yourself while authority flows from others.

This leaves much room for discussion, though.
Not exactly. The better way to look at the matter is search for terminology, because in it's essence there's no difference, one is the subtype of the other, one way of expression of the other. In terminology you've power: in my language it's easier to see the meaning of this (poder (can)= "poder"). Power means in short, "ability", means that the one who has it, can do something. I can exersice it by force, by intelligence (ploting) or by constituted authority.