Authority (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Revision Note

Key thinker: Weber (1947) on power & authority

• Power is the ability of an individual or group to get others to do what they want, even if there is resistance

• People with power can influence others’ behaviour and decisions

• We tend to be deferential towards those with authority

• Weber argued that there are two main ways in which power can be exercised:

  • coercion – using force or threats to make people obey

    • E.g. a criminal threatening someone with violence

  • authority – power that people accept as legitimate because they believe it is right and fair

    • Force is unnecessary because people consent to power being exercised over them

What is authority?

• Authority means having the accepted right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

• People obey authority because they recognise it as legitimate — they believe those in authority have the right to lead

• Authority is linked to social differences, such as age and gender

  • Older people are often expected to lead or make decisions

  • In the past, men held more authority than women; e.g.:

    • in Victorian Britain, men were heads of the household and dominated politics

    • Before 2015 a male heir inherited the British throne even if he had an older sister — showing traditional gendered authority

Weber’s three types of authority

Traditional authority

• This type of authority is based on custom, tradition and inheritance

• People obey because things have “always been that way”

• Weber used the British monarchy as an example of traditional authority

  • There is a royal bloodline that determines who becomes king or queen, based on birth right

  • Although today the monarchy’s political power is limited, people still accept the monarch’s authority through tradition and national custom

    • E.g. coronations and royal weddings

• This contrasts with other systems of authority, e.g. in the USA the president is elected by citizens, not born into power

  • This is an example of rational-legal authority (see below)

Charismatic authority

• Charismatic authority is based on a leader’s personal qualities, inspiration, and ability to attract followers

• People obey because they are inspired by the leader’s vision or personality rather than tradition or law

• Charismatic leaders often appear during times of crisis or change and can have a powerful influence over people’s beliefs and actions

• However, this authority is often temporary — it depends on the leader’s personal appeal and may fade when they die or lose popularity

• Examples include:

  • Martin Luther King Jr inspired millions through his leadership of the American Civil Rights Movement

  • Mahatma Gandhi led India’s struggle for independence through peaceful protest

  • Jesus inspired followers through faith and teaching

Rational-legal authority

• Rational-legal authority is the most common form of authority in modern societies

• It is based on rules, laws and formal procedures, not on tradition or personality

• People obey because they accept the laws or rules that give power to leaders

• This type of authority operates within bureaucracies — organisations with clear structures, hierarchies and regulations

• Leaders gain power through legal means (such as elections) and can lose it if they break the rules or laws that grant them authority

• Examples include:

  • a prime minister is elected and must follow the law and constitution

  • police officers and judges have authority because the law gives them the power to enforce rules

  • in prisons, officers have the legal authority to discipline inmates according to regulations

Mixing types of authority

• Weber recognised that in real life, leaders often combine different types of authority, e.g.,

  • teachers have rational-legal authority based on school rules, but may also have charismatic authority if they inspire students

  • politicians often use charisma to win elections, but must operate within legal frameworks once in power