Power and Authority: Traditional Authority

Traditional authority, as conceptualized by Max Weber, refers to a form of governance where legitimacy is derived from established customs and traditions rather than legal or charismatic means. This type of authority often manifests in systems like monarchies, where power is inherited and viewed as a birthright. In societies that embrace traditional authority, the ruler's legitimacy is reinforced through cultural norms, spiritual beliefs, or rituals, which can simplify the process of leadership transition but also entrench social inequalities. Leaders within this framework, such as monarchs or religious figures, often maintain their positions due to long-standing societal endorsement, making change challenging and frequently requiring significant upheaval. While traditional authority has historical roots, its presence persists in modern governance systems, influencing political dynamics and societal attitudes towards leadership. Weber noted that such authority could create barriers to the development of more rational and legal forms of governance, highlighting both its durability and its limitations. Overall, traditional authority plays a crucial role in understanding power structures across different cultures and historical contexts.

Published in: 2021

By: Auerbach, Michael P.

Subject Terms

Power and Authority: Traditional Authority

This essay will take a closer look at the issue of authority within the framework of one of Max Weber's seminal works (at least in the eyes of political scientists): “Three Types of Legitimate Rule”. Specifically, this paper will provide a comprehensive review of one of these three types of rule: traditional authority. In illustrating examples and manifestations in the modern world of traditional authority, the reader will also glean a better view of the attitudes of societies that embrace such a power structure.

Keywords Bureaucracy; Charismatic Rule; Durable Power; Legitimate Authority; Monarchy; Tradition

Power & Authority: Traditional Authority

Overview

An expert on political leaders, preeminent German sociologist Max Weber summarized the profile of a politician in one of his last essays, "Politics as a Vocation": "One can say that three pre-eminent qualities are decisive for the politician: passion, a feeling of responsibility, and a sense of proportion" (Columbia World of Quotations, 1996).

Indeed, Weber understood that the ideal leader has a well-balanced combination of dedication to those who he or she governs, zeal for his or her public service, and an understanding of the limitations of the system he or she leads. Of course, how an individual proves an effective leader and how he or she obtains the mantle of leadership are two different questions. A person may have all of the personal and professional attributes Weber describes, but to use them effectively he or she must first rise to power.

A common misconception of leadership is that the terms "power" and "authority" are synonymous. In truth, any person can have power, whether that power comes from within or is derived from external sources. Authority, on the other hand, is given to a leader by those whom he or she leads. In essence, authority is an endorsement from the governed society.

This essay will take a closer look at the issue of authority within the framework of one of Max Weber's seminal works (at least in the eyes of political scientists): Three Types of Legitimate Rule . Specifically, this paper will provide a comprehensive review of one of these three types of rule: traditional authority. In illustrating examples and manifestations in the modern world of traditional authority, the reader will also glean a better view of the attitudes of societies that embrace such a power structure.

The Father of Sociology & His View of Government

Max Weber is to sociologists what George Washington is to Americans. The "father of sociology" is seen as both a pioneer and a revolutionary by adherents and detractors alike. His unabashed liberal, neo-Marxist views may not have found a favorable audience among some, but his observations of social order and bureaucracy cannot be discounted as among the most significant of contributions to the study of modern humanity.

In the blood of the iconic sociologist, however, was the lineage of a politician. His father was a member of the German bureaucracy during the late 1870s, a period during which the German and Prussian empires were being merged under then-Count Otto von Bismarck. Weber's life coincided with some of the most pivotal periods in German history. When Bismarck's German empire dominated most of Europe, his brand of control was not that of a liberal democracy, but rather one governed by a relative few whose militaristic goals relegated the plight of the working class (to whose cause the younger Weber became loyal, much to the consternation of his father) to a lower priority. After Bismarck's defeat and the dismantling of his empire under the Treaty of Versailles, Weber watched the rise of the forces that would eventually produce the Nazi regime. Having seen his country experience so much political turmoil and so many power struggles, Weber's view of national cohesion and unity became quite pessimistic (University of Regina, 1999).

The man who became disillusioned by the apparent chaos that existed in his home country's government would later pen a set of apparent guidelines for the international community to understand effective leadership. When Weber drafted Three Types of Legitimate Rule, it would turn out to be more than a simple sociological study - it would be an open call for future world leaders.

The Three Types of Legitimate Authority

According to Weber, there are three types of legitimate authority: rational-legal authority, charismatic authority, and traditional authority. The first of these forms is grounded in a legal structure. Describing it, Weber may have been drawing on his own experiences with bureaucracy, as his father was a prominent leader in the German government's bureaucracy. In this form of leadership, governance is achieved through a strict set of rules and organizational parameters. Bureaucracy is, in Weber's ideals, the outcome of this type of authority, as it is a fixed, disciplined form of leadership that is initiated through a well-defined hierarchy (Elwell, 2008).

The second form of authority Weber identified, charismatic authority, is achieved on the basis of an individual's personal appeal to the citizenry. Whereas bureaucratic rule is defined (and confined) by rules and social norms, charismatic rule centers on the individual leader who, in essence, transcends the parameters established prior to his or her ascension into authority (New Mexico State University, 2008).

This paper will next provide a more in-depth analysis of the third of Weber's tripartite of political authority - traditional rule. However, prior to this discussion, an important point should be made about the fundamental nature of Weber's theory. Although he was clearly influenced by the events of his own political environment and time period, Weber's introduced his concepts as ideal forms, not concrete realities. Of course, the notions introduced in his theories can be applied in a "real-world" sense. In the next two sections of this paper, Weber's theoretical framework will be given greater scrutiny and, later, be applied to international political examples.

Passing Along the Mantle of Leadership

It can be said that power alone does not necessarily make a leader effective. In fact, "durable power" (that is, rule that is built for a long-term tenure), is a description that can be applied to the term "authority". As Weber himself said, durable power authority is power backed by legitimacy (van Manen, 2007).

The key to leadership is, as Weber states, legitimacy. This term suggests that an individual cannot lead without the endorsement of those he or she seeks to rule. A charismatic leader might assert himself or herself into a political environment and, if attractive to those over whom he or she seeks power, receive that legitimacy. On the other hand, a bureaucratic leader might also gain the favor of the people if he or she emerges from an existing socio-political institution that governs the people.

Within traditional authority, however, legitimacy can be either extremely difficult or extremely simple to achieve, depending on the position from which the leader operates. This form of governance is derived not from individual dynamism (as in the case of charismatic rule) or the rule of law (bureaucratic authority). Rather, legitimacy is granted on the basis of custom. An example of traditional authority might be a monarchy in which power is treated as a birthright as it is passed down family lines. Forms of traditional rule are not exemplified solely by monarchies, however - in many cases, traditional rulers are religious figures, such as a priest or a sheikh, or are members of a dominant elite. In these cases, a myth, spiritual belief, or ritual may play a role in transferring and legitimizing authority.

Traditional power is an extremely long-standing form of authority. Ideally, if a government has embraced the same leader (or his or her predecessors) for many years, that leader has acquired legitimacy. Often, this traditional manner of governing means that it is relatively easy for certain individuals to assume leadership, while for others it is nearly if not entirely impossible.

Having matured in a country which, at the time, seemed constantly in the midst of a power struggle, Weber's view of political authority, whether legitimate or based on coercion, was somewhat skeptical. During a 1918 lecture, he cited neo-Marxist icon Leon Trotsky (who was himself part of a nation in political flux) in asserting that political states are founded on the application of force. He qualified that statement by saying that force is not necessarily the sole means for the state, but it is one of the methods a state has at its disposal to preserve itself (Roberts, 2008).

The legitimacy of a traditional government is granted with the passage of time - changes to such leadership do not generally occur unless the society either overthrows the ruler or dismantles the political infrastructure that fosters such a system. In either case, undoing traditional ruling systems (regimes that have been operating for hundreds, if not thousands of years) often involves the very same use of force against which Weber railed. The French Revolution and the February Revolution (which overthrew the Russian monarchy) are just a few examples of societies removing traditional rulers and dismantling traditional political infrastructures through violent means.

Weber's predisposition towards rational-legal forms of leadership made him skeptical about traditional authority. Traditional rule, he claimed, creates and preserves inequalities, and blocks the development of legal systems of governance. Only when open rebellion occurs, he cautioned, does the chance for a more open society become possible (Henry, 2007). In this respect, Weber seemed to concur with the famous words of Thomas Jefferson: "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing."

Weber's comments on traditional rule, however, are not designed to dissuade fledgling governments from choosing their preferred form of government. In fact, as is the case with the other two notions of dominance (charisma and legal rule), traditional rule as it appears in the Weberian school of thought is a pure concept or ideal. Numerous variations of Weber's ideals have appeared in government, some of these have endured, others have collapsed.

The Royal Family

To Weber, the purest form of traditional rule is the patriarchal authority. In this form of rule, the king, prince, or lord dominates his subjects, who in turn act out his wishes (Weber, 1958). While there are few monarchies that enjoy the total dominance that historical figures like Louis XVI, George III, Herod, and Alexander the Great did, viable monarchies still operate in the modern world.

In Jordan, for example, King Abdullah II is a member of the Hashemite family, which in 1916 led the Great Arab Revolt, helping bring independence to Jordan. According to tradition, the Hashemites are said to trace their heritage back to the founder of Islam, the prophet Muhammad. Today, Jordan is one of the key players in working to bring peace and stability in the Middle East. Although Jordan has a legislative branch led by a viable Prime Minister, King Abdullah II is the commander-in-chief of the military, chief executive, and head of state (King Abdullah II Official Website, 2008).

In Nepal, the royal family has spent the last century struggling to establish itself as well as avoid complete implosion. In the early twentieth century, the king was little more than a figurehead, with democratically elected leaders running the affairs of state. However, in 1962 King Mahendra seized power. His son would retain power until pressured to return the country to a constitutional democracy in 1990. In 2001, tragedy struck a family believed by the Nepalese people to be the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, as the King's son killed him, the Queen, and several relatives before turning the gun on himself. The regicide left the country in a state of turmoil that continued until 2005 when King Gyenendra sacked the government and installed himself as head of state.

In late 2007, he returned the mantle of rule back to a constitutional democracy when Maoist elements in the Nepalese government threatened to walk away and create civil dissension (BBC News, 2006). Contrary to Weber's suggestion that only violence would oust a monarchy, civil strife was already rampant in Nepal before Gyenendra abdicated. In the end, Gyenendra actually helped create a more peaceful climate in Nepal by walking away from power.

Religion & Power

Whereas these monarchs claimed lineages that reach back to the divine, other leaders claim much closer connections to the divine. While it is not officially recognized by the international community as a nation, Tibet is at the center of a major international controversy. Its titular head does not even live in the region - the Dalai Lama has been in exile in India ever since China annexed Tibet in 1951. However, he is still considered both the head of state and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.

Unlike the monarchs previously described, the man born as Llahmo Dhondrub did not come into his position through political connections or even a family line. The 14th Dalai Lama was "recognized" as the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama in 1937, when he was but two years old. When he was driven out of Tibet 80,000 loyalists accompanied him (The Government of Tibet in Exile, 1997). In preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, he met with almost every Western leader in an attempt to reconcile with China in a peaceful manner, as violent protests and crackdowns continue in his native land.

While the Dalai Lama has been a leader without a country, the Pope is the head of a worldwide community. Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was elected in a papal conclave in April 2005 and served until he resigned in the winter of 2013. A countryman of Weber, Benedict XVI lived through one of the most severe dictatorships in human history, Adolph Hitler's Third Reich. As a spiritual leader, he has assumed the role of political power broker, becoming a major figure in advocating for the underserved. He has spoken out on behalf of refugees and immigrants in search of new homes in industrialized nations, and he directed his bishops and cardinals to do the same in their home countries (Winters, 2008). Pope Benedict was replaced with Pope Francis (born in Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio).

Religious leaders remain prevalent in many societies today. Some are heads of state, others, while not technically political leaders nevertheless wield tremendous power over political affairs. While oftentimes their legitimacy is not granted through rational-legal means as Weber preferred, they nonetheless have a significant impact on the modern world.

Conclusions

For Weber, growing up in one of the most tumultuous periods in Germany's history was a frustrating yet eye-opening experience. His passion for information, dedication to the enlightenment of others, and appreciation for his limitations are all characteristics that fit the profile of the politician that he introduced in "Politics as a Vocation." Weber would not sit idle as his world hurried by at breakneck speed. As a sociologist, political scientist, and scholar of religion, he would involve himself by sharing his knowledge.

Still, Weber's skepticism toward the types of politics and leadership he saw during his lifetime informed his theories. He once commented that "the fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the disenchantment of the world" (thinkexist.com, 2006). In light of the power struggles he had witnessed, he primarily allied himself with the rule of law, which he believed would avert the vanity and egotism he saw in the other forms of authority.

Of course, all three of Weber's legitimate authority was ideal types. He did not believe that these types existed as pure forms in practice. After all, a ruler cannot often succeed by invoking solely the religious or cultural traditions that hoisted him or her to power - he or she must also appeal to the people and act within legal and rational norms. What is evident in the case of Jordan and Nepal, for example, is that a monarchy cannot survive in the modern world simply by claiming legitimacy based on the fact that "it has always been this way." Traditional rulers must still connect with the people and broker relationships with key facets of the government or a backlash will inevitably occur.

In the case of religious leaders, the same point can be made. The Dalai Lama is a member of a long lineage of Lamas. However, he must still walk a delicate line, preaching the peace and harmony of humanity that is inherent in his Buddhist faith in one hand, and speaking out against the often violent relationship between China and his Tibetan constituents. Pope Benedict must also venture away from the Catholic tradition of proselytization in order to reach out to other faiths to protect the victims of war, poverty, and social injustice.

Weber's point on leadership is simple - no one of the three types of legitimate authority can stand alone. While he remained committed to the rule of rational law, he understood the limitations of a leadership that has but one foundation.

Terms & Concepts

Bureaucracy: An hierarchical administrative structure in which work is carried out by specialized, non-elected employees and officials according to specific rules and regulations.

Charismatic Authority: One of the three Weberian types of legitimate authority in which legitimacy is granted on the basis of a leader's personal appeal.

Durable Power: Authority that is implemented with long-standing ability.

Legitimate: According to Weber, an authority is legitimate when it is endorsed and upheld by a significant social body or legal institution.

Monarchy: Government form in which the ruler's leadership is legitimized through hereditary means, the leader's tenure is life-long, and his or her power is absolute.

Traditional Authority: One of the three Weberian types of legitimate authority in which legitimacy is granted on the basis of custom (e.g. birthright, religious beliefs or rites, or myth).

Bibliography

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Power and Authority: Traditional Authority

On this Page

Subject Terms

Power and Authority: Traditional Authority

Power & Authority: Traditional Authority

Overview

The Father of Sociology & His View of Government

The Three Types of Legitimate Authority

Passing Along the Mantle of Leadership

The Royal Family

Religion & Power

Conclusions

Terms & Concepts

Bibliography

Suggested Reading