Traditional Authority - GCSE Sociology Definition

Traditional authority is a type of power that people accept because it has always been seen as legitimate, often based on customs and long-established practices. In this system, people obey a leader because it is part of their cultural or societal norms. For example, a king or queen might have traditional authority because their family has ruled for many generations. This type of authority relies on the belief that following these customs is the right thing to do, rather than being based on written rules or laws. Traditional authority is one of the types of authority discussed in GCSE Sociology, alongside charismatic and legal-rational authority. These concepts are from Weber.