Limits on authority
Limits on authority
Authority is never unlimited. It exists only within the bounds of responsibility, history, and relationship.
Power without limit is not law—it is abuse.
Authority is conditional
Authority is granted and maintained only when:
- responsibilities are upheld
- history supports the claim
- relationships are respected
- witnessing and acknowledgment have occurred
Failure in any of these weakens authority.
Limits set by responsibility
Authority is limited by obligation to:
- land, water, and non-human beings
- people within the jurisdiction
- neighboring houses and nations
- future generations
Authority cannot be used to cause harm without consequence.
Limits set by history
Past events constrain present authority.
History records:
- how authority was acquired
- conditions attached to it
- violations and unresolved obligations
- boundaries of action
Authority cannot exceed what history allows.
Limits set by witnessing
Witnesses define the scope of authority.
They:
- confirm what authority was granted
- recall conditions attached to it
- challenge overreach or misuse
- affirm loss of legitimacy when limits are crossed
Authority contradicted by witnesses is contestable.
Limits set by relationship
Relationships impose restraint.
Authority must account for:
- shared territories
- overlapping responsibilities
- reciprocal obligations
- established agreements
Acting without regard to relationship fractures law.
Limits during disruption
Disruption may constrain practice but not remove limits.
During disruption:
- authority is held in trust
- actions are provisional
- overreach is especially harmful
- restoration remains required
Emergency does not justify abandonment of law.
Consequences of exceeding limits
When authority exceeds its limits:
- legitimacy erodes
- intervention may occur
- authority may be limited or withdrawn
- responsibility follows the name until addressed
Unchecked authority invites correction.
Core principle
Authority ends where responsibility is broken. Limits protect law from becoming domination.