Table of contents |
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Structures of Authority |
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Traditional Authority |
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Charismatic Authority |
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Types of Authority and the “Real World” |
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In Weber’s words, “Personal loyalty, not the official’s impersonal duty, determines the relations of the administrative staff to the master” (1921/1968:227).
Weber compared the staff of traditional leaders to the ideal bureaucratic model and found several shortcomings. Traditional staff arrangements lack:
Weber identified and analyzed different forms of traditional authority using his ideal-type methodology. He distinguished between:
Both of these forms feature a supreme chief but lack an administrative staff.
A more contemporary form of traditional authority is:
Even more modern is:
All four forms—gerontocracy, primary patriarchalism, patrimonialism, and feudalism—are seen as variations of traditional authority. They are structurally distinct from rational-legal authority.
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1. What are the key characteristics of traditional authority as defined by Max Weber? | ![]() |
2. How does charismatic authority differ from traditional authority according to Max Weber? | ![]() |
3. In what ways can Max Weber's types of authority be observed in contemporary society? | ![]() |
4. What are the implications of charismatic authority for social change? | ![]() |
5. How does Max Weber's concept of authority relate to the structure of modern governments? | ![]() |