Authority By Max Weber

Major classes of power exemplified in modern states as witnessed by Max Weber (1864-1920) include; traditional, rational and charismatic. The traditional power follows the customs that have endured over many years, for instance, the king or queen passing on as a consequence of their dynasty. Charismatic authority draws on the powerful personal charisma or extraordinary charismatic personal attributes of a political leader, exemplified by the examples like Hitler. Legal-rational authority, which is inherited from modern bureaucracy, is now based on the person and not on the qualifications. It is given to an individual by a process that decides who is suitable for the position, such as the merit-based selection or the promotion of a person by a higher authority, instead of the personality of the officeholder. The reason for this kind of authority is essential of the state of the art.