Types of Authority | Introduction to Sociology

Example ; Patriarchy (traditional positions of authority), royal families with no political power but social influence ; Napoleon, Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa, ... Skiptomaincontent IntroductiontoSociology Module15:GovernmentandPolitics Searchfor: TypesofAuthority LearningOutcomes Explainpoliticalpowerandauthority Identifyanddescribethethreetypesofauthority outlinedbyMaxWeber DespitethedifferencesbetweengovernmentsystemsintheMiddleEastandtheUnitedStates,theirgovernmentsplaythesamefundamentalrole:insomefashion,theyexertcontroloverthepeopletheygovern.Thenatureofthatcontrol—whatwewilldefineaspowerandauthority—isanimportantfeatureofsociety. Sociologistshaveadistinctiveapproachtostudyinggovernmentalpowerandauthoritythatdiffersfromtheperspectiveofpoliticalscientists.Forthemostpart,politicalscientistsfocusonstudyinghowpowerisdistributedindifferenttypesofpoliticalsystems.Theywouldobserve,forexample,thattheUnitedStates’politicalsystemisdividedintothreedistinctbranches(legislative,executive,andjudicial),andtheywouldexplorehowpublicopinionaffectspoliticalparties,elections,andthepoliticalprocessingeneral.Sociologists,however,tendtobemoreinterestedintheinfluencesofgovernmentalpoweronsocietyandinhowsocialconflictsarisefromthedistributionofpower.Sociologistsalsoexaminehowtheuseofpoweraffectslocal,state,national,andglobalagendas,whichinturnaffectpeopledifferentlybasedonstatus,class,andsocioeconomicstanding. WhatIsPower? Figure1.NazileaderAdolfHitlerwasoneofthemostpowerfulanddestructivedictatorsinmodernhistory.HeispicturedherewithfascistBenitoMussoliniofItaly.(PhotocourtesyofU.S.NationalArchivesandRecordsAdministration) Forcenturies,philosophers,politicians,andsocialscientistshaveexploredandcommentedonthenatureofpower.Pittacus(c.640–568B.C.E.)opined,“Themeasureofamaniswhathedoeswithpower,”andLordActonperhapsmorefamouslyasserted,“Powertendstocorrupt;absolutepowercorruptsabsolutely”(1887).Indeed,theconceptofpowercanhavedecidedlynegativeconnotations,andthetermitselfisdifficulttodefine. ManyscholarsadoptthedefinitiondevelopedbyGermansociologistMaxWeber,whosaidthat power istheabilitytoexerciseone’swilloverothers(Weber1922).Poweraffectsmorethanpersonalrelationships;itshapeslargerdynamicslikesocialgroups,professionalorganizations,andgovernments.Similarly,agovernment’spowerisnotnecessarilylimitedtocontrolofitsowncitizens.Adominantnation,forinstance,willoftenuseitsclouttoinfluenceorsupportothergovernmentsortoseizecontrolofothernationstates.EffortsbytheU.S.governmenttowieldpowerinothercountrieshaveincludedjoiningwithothernationstoformtheAlliedforcesduringWorldWarII,enteringIraqin2002totoppleSaddamHussein’sregime,andimposingsanctionsonthegovernmentofNorthKoreainthehopesofconstrainingitsdevelopmentofnuclearweapons. Figure2.YoungpeopleandstudentswereamongthemostardentsupportersofdemocraticreformintherecentArabSpring.Socialmediaalsoplayedanimportantroleinrallyinggrassrootssupport.(Photocourtesyofcjb22/flickr) Endeavorstogainpowerandinfluencedonotnecessarilyleadtoviolence,exploitation,orabuse.LeaderssuchasMartinLutherKingJr.andMohandasGandhi,forexample,commandedpowerfulmovementsthateffectedpositivechangewithoutmilitaryforce.Bothmenorganizednonviolentproteststocombatcorruptionandinjusticeandsucceededininspiringfar-reachingreforms.Theyreliedonavarietyofnonviolentproteststrategiessuchasrallies,sit-ins,marches,petitions,andboycotts. Moderntechnologyhasmadesuchformsofnonviolentreformeasiertoimplement.Today,protesterscanusecellphonesandtheInternettodisseminateinformationandplanstomassesofprotestersinarapidandefficientmanner.IntheArabSpringuprisings,forexample,Twitterfeedsandothersocialmediahelpedprotesterscoordinatetheirmovements,shareideas,andbolstermorale,aswellasgainglobalsupportfortheircauses.Socialmediawasalsoimportantingettingaccurateaccountsofthedemonstrationsouttotheworld,incontrasttomanyearliersituationsinwhichgovernmentcontrolofthemediacensorednewsreports.Noticethatintheseexamples,theusersofpowerwerethecitizensratherthanthegovernments.Theyfoundtheyhadpowerbecausetheywereabletoexercisetheirwillovertheirownleaders.Thus,governmentpowerdoesnotnecessarilyequatetoabsolutepower. TypesofAuthority TheprotestersinTunisiaandthecivilrightsprotestersofMartinLutherKing,Jr.’sdayhadinfluencebeyond theirpositioninagovernment.Theirinfluencecame,inpart,fromtheirabilitytoadvocateforwhatmanypeopleheldasimportantvalues.Governmentleadersmighthavethiskindofinfluenceaswell,buttheyalsohavetheadvantageofwielding thepowerassociatedwiththeirofficialpositionsandconsiderablestateresources.Asthisexampleindicates,thereismorethanonetypeof power inacommunity. Authorityreferstoacceptedpower—thatis,powerthatpeopleagreetofollowaccordingtospecificprocedures.Peoplelistentoauthorityfiguresbecausetheyfeelthattheseindividualsareworthyofrespect,orbecausetheyareinapositionthatinherentlycarriesadegreeofrespect.Generallyspeaking,peopleperceivetheobjectivesanddemandsofanauthorityfigureasreasonable,legitimate,beneficial,ortrue. Acitizen’sinteractionwithapoliceofficerisagoodexampleofhowpeoplereactto andinteractwith authorityineverydaylife.Forinstance,apersonwhoseestheflashingredandbluelightsofapolicecarintheir rearviewmirrorusuallypullstothesideoftheroadwithouthesitation.Suchadrivermostlikelyassumesthatthepoliceofficerbehindthem servesasalegitimatesourceofauthorityandhastherighttopullthem over.Aspartoftheir officialduties,thepoliceofficerthenhasthepowertoissueaspeedingticketifthedriverwasdrivingtoofast.Ifthesameofficer,however,weretocommandthedrivertofollowthem homeandmowtheir lawn,thedriverwouldlikelyprotestthattheofficerdoesnothavetheauthoritytomakesucharequest. Wearegenerallyawareofwhatauthorityfigureshavepowertorequest,andarealsoawarewhenauthorityfiguresoversteptheirposition. Notallauthorityfiguresarepoliceofficers,electedofficialsorgovernmentauthorities.Besidesformaloffices,authoritycanarisefromtraditionandpersonalqualities.MaxWeber,oneofthekeyfiguresinsociology, realizedthiswhenheexaminedindividualactionasitrelatestoauthority,aswellaslarge-scalestructuresofauthorityandhowtheyrelatetoasociety’seconomy.Basedonthiswork,Weberdevelopedaclassificationsystemforauthority.Histhreetypesofauthorityaretraditionalauthority,charismaticauthority,andlegal-rationalauthority(Weber1922). Table1.MaxWeberidentifiedandexplainedthreedistincttypesofauthority. Weber’sThreeTypesofAuthority Traditional Charismatic Legal-Rational SourceofPower Legitimizedbylong-standingcustom Basedonaleader’spersonalqualities Authorityresidesintheoffice,nottheperson LeadershipStyle Historicpersonality Dynamicpersonality Bureaucraticofficials Example Patriarchy(traditionalpositionsofauthority), royalfamilieswithnopoliticalpowerbutsocial influence Napoleon,JesusChrist,MotherTeresa,MartinLutherKing,Jr. U.S.presidencyandCongress,ModernBritishParliament TryIt TraditionalAuthority AccordingtoWeber,thepoweroftraditionalauthorityisacceptedbecausethathastraditionallybeenthecase;itslegitimacyexistsbecauseithasbeenacceptedforalongtime.Britain’sQueenElizabeth,forinstance,occupiesapositionthatsheinheritedbasedonthetraditionalrulesofsuccessionforthemonarchy.Peopleadheretotraditionalauthoritybecausetheyareinvestedinthepastandfeelobligatedtoperpetuateit.Inthistypeofauthority,arulertypicallyhasnorealforcetocarryouttheir will, andtheirpositiondependsprimarilyonagroup’srespect. Amorespecific formoftraditionalauthorityispatrimonialism,whichistraditionaldominationfacilitatedbyanadministrationandmilitarythatarepurelypersonalinstrumentsofthemaster(Eisenberg1998).Inthisformofauthority,allofficialsarepersonalfavoritesappointedbytheruler.Theseofficialshavenorights,andtheirprivilegescanbeincreasedorwithdrawnbasedonthecapricesoftheleader.ThepoliticalorganizationofancientEgypttypifiedsuchasystem:whentheroyalhouseholddecreedthatapyramidbebuilt,everyEgyptianwasforcedtoworktowarditsconstruction. Traditionalauthoritycanbeintertwinedwithrace,class,andgender.Inmostsocieties,forinstance,menaremorelikelytobeprivilegedthanwomenandthusaremorelikelytoholdrolesofauthority. Itisnotuncommonforamantobetheautomaticleaderofafamilyunit;insomecountries,however,itisthewomanwhoisthepresumptiveleader.Regardless,mostcontextsprovideatraditionalstructureofauthority,evenamongthehouseholdunit. Similarly,membersofdominantracialgroupsorupper-classfamilieswinrespectmorereadily.IntheUnitedStates,theKennedyfamily,whichhasproducedmanyprominentpoliticians,exemplifiesthismodel. CharismaticAuthority Followersacceptthepowerofcharismaticauthoritybecausetheyaredrawntotheleader’spersonalqualities.Theappealofacharismaticleadercanbeextraordinary,andcaninspirefollowerstomakeunusualsacrificesortopersevereinthemidstofgreathardshipandpersecution.Charismaticleadersusuallyemergeintimesofcrisisandofferinnovativeorradicalsolutions.Theymayevenofferavisionofanewworldorder.Despitethecatastrophicconsequencesofevents, Hitler’srisetopowerinthepost-WorldWarIeconomicdepressionofGermanyisanexample. Charismaticleaderstendtoholdpowerforshortperiodsoftime,andaccordingtoWeber,theyarejustaslikelytobetyrannicalastheyareheroic.DiversemaleleaderssuchasHitler,Napoleon,JesusChrist,CésarChávez,MalcolmX,andWinstonChurchillareallconsideredcharismaticleaders.Someofthemheldformalpositionsofpower,butmanydidnot. Becausesofewwomenhavehelddynamicpositionsofleadershipthroughouthistory,thelistofcharismaticfemaleleadersiscomparativelyshort.ManyhistoriansconsiderfiguressuchasJoanofArc,MargaretThatcher,andMotherTeresatobecharismaticleaders. MichelleObama,whonolongerholdsaformalpositionofauthority(andsomemightevenarguethatbeingFirstLadyitselfdoesnottranslateintoauthority),isacurrentexampleofacharismaticleader. WATCHIT GretaThunberg,ateenagerfromSweden,hasbeenmakingwavesaroundtheworld,givingpowerfulandmovingspeechesaboutclimatechange.WhatstartedoutasaprotestledtospeechesatforumssuchastheUNandtheWorldEconomicForum.Whilesheholdsnoformalpositionofauthority,sheisinfluencingchangethroughbeingaleaderthatotherscanrelateto,tothepointofnowhundredsofthousandsofkidscallingforradicalchangesinclimatechangepolicy. Rational-LegalAuthority AccordingtoWeber,powermadelegitimatebylaws,writtenrules,andregulationsistermedrational-legalauthority.Inthistypeofauthority,powerisvestedinaparticularrationale,system,orideologyandnotnecessarilyinthepersonwhoimplementsthespecificsofthatdoctrine. Withrational-legalauthority,thepowertoinfluencedoesnotfallonindividualsthemselves,butinsteadfallsonspecific,structured,bureaucraticoffices,andindividualsholdingspecificpositionshavetheauthoritytoactinthenameofsuchpositions. Anationthatfollowsaconstitutionappliesthistypeofauthority.Onasmallerscale,youmightencounterrational-legalauthorityintheworkplaceviathestandardssetforthintheemployeehandbook,whichprovides theemployeewith adifferenttypeofauthoritythanthatof theboss. Ofcourse,idealsareseldomreplicatedintherealworld.Fewgovernmentsorleaderscanbeneatlycategorized.Someleaders,likeMohandasGandhiforinstance,canbeconsideredcharismaticand legal-rationalauthorityfigures.Similarly,aleaderorgovernmentcanstartoutexemplifyingonetypeofauthorityandgraduallyevolveorchangeintoanothertype. Thisisnotunusual—charismaticleadersoftenenterrational-legalauthorityinstitutionsanditistheircharismathatfacilitatestheirelection.Similarly,anindividualinarational-legalauthoritypositiongainsexposure,whichmayallowthemtobecharismaticleadersfollowingtheirexitfromformalauthoritypositions. ThinkItOver ExplainwhyleadersasdivergentasHitlerandJesusChristarebothcategorizedascharismaticauthorities. Whydopeopleaccepttraditionalauthorityfigureseventhoughthesetypesofleadershavelimitedmeansofenforcingtheirpower? Charismaticleadersareamongthemostfascinatingfiguresinhistory.Selectacharismaticleaderaboutwhomyouwishtolearnmoreandconductonlineresearchtofindoutaboutthisindividual.Thenwriteaparagraphdescribingthepersonalqualitiesthatledtothisperson’sinfluence,consideringthesocietyinwhichheorsheemerged. TryIt glossary authority: powerthatpeopleacceptbecauseitcomesfromasourcethatisperceivedaslegitimate charismaticauthority: powerlegitimizedonthebasisofaleader’sexceptionalpersonalqualities patrimonialism: atypeofauthoritywhereinmilitaryandadministrativefactionsenforcethepowerofthemaster rational-legalauthority: powerthatislegitimizedbyrules,regulations,andlaws traditionalauthority: powerlegitimizedonthebasisoflong-standingcustoms Contribute! Didyouhaveanideaforimprovingthiscontent?We’dloveyourinput. ImprovethispageLearnMore LicensesandAttributions CClicensedcontent,OriginalModification,adaptation,andoriginalcontent.Authoredby:FlorenciaSilveiraforLumenLearning.Providedby:LumenLearning.License:CCBY:AttributionCClicensedcontent,SharedpreviouslyPowerandAuthority.Authoredby:OpenStaxCNX.Locatedat:https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:GveClPvr@2/Power-and-Authority.License:CCBY:Attribution.LicenseTerms:Downloadforfreeathttp://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:Wikipedia.Locatedat:https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Politics.License:CCBY-SA:Attribution-ShareAlikeAllrightsreservedcontentGretaThunbergfullspeechatUNClimateChangeCOP24Conference.Providedby:Connect4Climate.Locatedat:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFkQSGyeCWg.License:Other.LicenseTerms:StandardYouTubeLicense Previous Next