“Max weber” explained the three ideal types of authority, he was interested in the evolution of political power. The reason behind his theory of authority was to enlighten that, how the barbarous authority has been changed over time into the legitimated authority? According to him human beings have experienced three different types of authority, which are as follow; traditional authority, charismatic authority and bureaucratic or rational-legal authority. However, his sociology is based on social action therefore, he believed that, “types of social actions” are correlated with the “types of authority”.
Traditional Authority
According to “Max Weber” primitive societies were operated by, the traditional authority. By traditional Authority he meant, monarchy, in which monarchs and kings’ authority over the individuals was dependent on divinity. People of such societies believed that, royal families are ordained by God to rule over them. Traditional authority is linked with traditional social action, in which people act according to their religion, customs and culture. In modern world traditional authority still exist; “Saudi Arabia” (KSA) is the best example of traditional authority.
Charismatic Authority
“Max Weber” says that, after traditional authority there comes the epoch of charismatic authority. Rulers who are considered to be, having heroic powers and extra-ordinary from other individuals by, the people of society is known as, charismatic Authority. Such authority is interrelated with affective social action, people of such societies act on the basis of their emotions. Napoleon Bonaparte is the good example of charismatic authority, people of France rally behind him blindly in every war, even after his exile he managed to raise an army because of his charisma.
Bureaucratic or Rational-legal Authority
“Weber” believed that, bureaucratic powers comes from knowledge and such power plays an important role in changing the conditions of a nation, in a positive way. Moreover, he says that, changing a leader does not have any impact on the conditions of a nation, however, knowledge is more effective, compare to tools and money. Rational-legal authority is associated with goal rational social action. For example if a police officer gives ticket to a person for breaking a signal, the person does not obey police officer for the reason that, he is inspired from his personality or he is some holy man, the reason behind obeying the police officer is because the state has given him the authority to enforce the law.
