Mandate vs. Obligation — What's the Difference?

An authoritative command or instruction.

An obligation is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral. Obligations are constraints; they limit freedom.

A command or authorization given by a political electorate to the winner of an election.

A social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise, that compels one to follow or avoid a particular course of action

A commission from the League of Nations authorizing a member nation to administer a territory.

The constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty

A region under such administration.

(Law) A document in which a person binds himself or herself to undertake or refrain from doing a particular act.

(Law) The specific directive issued by a reviewing court to a lower court, as in requiring the lower court to enter a new judgment or to conduct further proceedings consistent with the reviewing court's ruling.

A debt instrument, such as a loan, mortgage, or bond.

To assign (a colony or territory) to a specified nation under a mandate of the League of Nations.

The state, fact, or feeling of being indebted to another for a special service or favor received

To make mandatory, as by law; decree or require

The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.

An official or authoritative command; an order or injunction; a commission; a judicial precept; an authorization.

A social, legal, or moral requirement, duty, contract, or promise that compels someone to follow or avoid a particular course of action.

(politics) The order or authority to do something, as granted to a politician by the electorate.

A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which someone is bound or restricted.

(Canada) A period during which a government is in power.

(legal) A legal agreement stipulating a specified action or forbearance by a party to the agreement; the document containing such agreement.

(historical) An order by the League of Nations to a member nation to establish a government responsible for a conquered territory, as the colonies of Germany after World War I.

The fact of being obliged to, that is, grateful for, something.

(historical) Such a territory.

The act of obligating.

(uncommon) man date: a date between two men.

That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract, oath, or vow, or of law; that which constitutes legal or moral duty.

To authorize.

Any act by which a person becomes bound to do something to or for another, or to forbear something; external duties imposed by law, promise, or contract, by the relations of society, or by courtesy, kindness, etc.

To make mandatory.

The state of being obligated or bound; the state of being indebted for an act of favor or kindness; - often used with under to indicate being in that state; as, to place others under obligations to one.

An official or authoritative command, order, or authorization from a superior official to a subordinate; an order or injunction; a commission; a judicial precept.

A bond with a condition annexed, and a penalty for nonfulfillment. In a larger sense, it is an acknowledgment of a duty to pay a certain sum or do a certain things.

An authorization to carry out a specific public policy, given by the electorate to their representatives; - it is considered to be implied by the election of a candidate by a significant margin after that candidate has campaigned with that policy as a prominent element of the campaign platform.

The social force that binds you to your obligations and the courses of action demanded by that force;

Authorization by a multinational body to a nation to administer the government and affairs of a territory, usually a former colony; as, termination of the British mandate in Palestine.

The state of being obligated to do or pay something;

A rescript of the pope, commanding an ordinary collator to put the person therein named in possession of the first vacant benefice in his collation.

A personal relation in which one is indebted for a service or favor

A contract by which one employs another to manage any business for him. By the Roman law, it must have been gratuitous.

A legal agreement specifying a payment or action and the penalty for failure to comply

A document giving an official instruction or command

A territory surrendered by Turkey or Germany after World War I and put under the tutelage of some other European power until they ar able to stand by themselves

The commission that is given to a government and its policies through an electoral victory

Assign under a mandate;

Make mandatory;

Assign authority to