Rational-legal authority
Encyclopedia
Rational-legal authority (also known as rational authority, legal authority, rational domination, legal domination, or bureaucratic authority) is a form of leadership
in which the authority
of an organization
or a ruling regime
is largely tied to legal rationality
, legal legitimacy
and bureaucracy
. The majority of the modern states
of the twentieth century are rational-legal authorities, according to those who use this form of classification.
, the concept of rational-legal domination comes from Max Weber
's tripartite classification of authority
(one of several classifications of government used by sociologists); the other two forms being traditional authority
and charismatic authority
. All of those three domination types represent an example of his ideal type
concept. Weber noted that in history those ideal types of domination are always found in combinations.
In traditional authority, the legitimacy of the authority comes from tradition. Charismatic authority is legitimized by the personality and leadership qualities of the ruling individual. Finally, rational-legal authority derives its powers from the system of bureaucracy
and legality
.
and legal positivism
).
Weber defined legal order as a system where the rules are enacted and obeyed as legitimate because they are in line with other laws on how they can be enacted and how they should be obeyed. Further, they are enforced by a government that monopolizes their enactment and the legitimate use of physical force.
) uniquely in the Occidental civilization
. The prerequisites for the modern Western state are:
Weber argued that some of those attributes have existed in various time or places, but together they existed only in Occidental civilization. The conditions that favoured this were
Weber's belief that rational-legal authority did not exist in Imperial China
has been heavily criticized, and does not have many supporters in the early 21st century.
An important attribute of Weber's definition of a modern state was that it is a bureaucracy
.
The vast majority of the modern states from the 20th century onward fall under the rational-legal authority category.
and political leaders
represent this type of authority.
Officials:
Politicians:
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
in which the authority
Authority
The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...
of an organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
or a ruling regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
is largely tied to legal rationality
Rationality
In philosophy, rationality is the exercise of reason. It is the manner in which people derive conclusions when considering things deliberately. It also refers to the conformity of one's beliefs with one's reasons for belief, or with one's actions with one's reasons for action...
, legal legitimacy
Legitimacy (political science)
In political science, legitimacy is the popular acceptance of a governing law or régime as an authority. Whereas “authority” denotes a specific position in an established government, the term “legitimacy” denotes a system of government — wherein “government” denotes “sphere of influence”...
and bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
. The majority of the modern states
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
of the twentieth century are rational-legal authorities, according to those who use this form of classification.
Rational-legal authority
In sociologySociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, the concept of rational-legal domination comes from Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
's tripartite classification of authority
Tripartite classification of authority
Max Weber distinguished three ideal types of legitimate political leadership, domination and authority:# charismatic authority ,# traditional authority and...
(one of several classifications of government used by sociologists); the other two forms being traditional authority
Traditional authority
Traditional authority is a form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a ruling regime is largely tied to tradition or custom...
and charismatic authority
Charismatic authority
The sociologist Max Weber defined charismatic authority as "resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him." Charismatic authority is one of three forms of authority laid out...
. All of those three domination types represent an example of his ideal type
Ideal type
Ideal type , also known as pure type, is a typological term most closely associated with antipositivist sociologist Max Weber . For Weber, the conduct of social science depends upon the construction of hypothetical concepts in the abstract...
concept. Weber noted that in history those ideal types of domination are always found in combinations.
In traditional authority, the legitimacy of the authority comes from tradition. Charismatic authority is legitimized by the personality and leadership qualities of the ruling individual. Finally, rational-legal authority derives its powers from the system of bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
and legality
Legality
The principle of legality is the legal ideal that requires all law to be clear, ascertainable and non-retrospective. It requires decision makers to resolve disputes by applying legal rules that have been declared beforehand, and not to alter the legal situation retrospectively by discretionary...
.
Legal rationality and legitimacy
Under rational-legal authority, legitimacy is seen as coming from a legal order and the laws that have been enacted in it (see also natural lawNatural law
Natural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
and legal positivism
Legal positivism
Legal positivism is a school of thought of philosophy of law and jurisprudence, largely developed by nineteenth-century legal thinkers such as Jeremy Bentham and John Austin. However, the most prominent figure in the history of legal positivism is H.L.A...
).
Weber defined legal order as a system where the rules are enacted and obeyed as legitimate because they are in line with other laws on how they can be enacted and how they should be obeyed. Further, they are enforced by a government that monopolizes their enactment and the legitimate use of physical force.
Emergence of the modern state
Weber wrote that the modern state based on rational-legal authority emerged from the patrimonial and feudal struggle for power (see traditional authorityTraditional authority
Traditional authority is a form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a ruling regime is largely tied to tradition or custom...
) uniquely in the Occidental civilization
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
. The prerequisites for the modern Western state are:
- monopolization by central authority of the means of administration and control based on a centralized and stable system of taxation and use of physical force
- monopolization of legislative
- organisation of an officialdom, dependent upon the central authority
Weber argued that some of those attributes have existed in various time or places, but together they existed only in Occidental civilization. The conditions that favoured this were
- emergence of rational-legal rationality (various status groupsStatus classThe German sociologist Max Weber formulated a three-component theory of stratification in which he defines status group as a group of people that can be differentiated on the basis of non-economical qualities like honour, prestige and religion...
in the OccidentWestern worldThe Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
promoted that emergence) - emergence of modern officialdom (bureaucracy), which required
- development of the money economy, where officials are compensated in money instead of kind (usually land grants)
- quantitative and qualitative expansion of administrative tasks
- centralisation and increased efficiency of administration.
Weber's belief that rational-legal authority did not exist in Imperial China
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
has been heavily criticized, and does not have many supporters in the early 21st century.
Modern state
According to Max Weber, a modern state exists where a political community has:- an administrative and legal order that has been created and can be changed by legislation that also determines its role
- binding authority over citizens and actions in its jurisdiction
- the right to legitimately use the physical force in its jurisdiction
An important attribute of Weber's definition of a modern state was that it is a bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
.
The vast majority of the modern states from the 20th century onward fall under the rational-legal authority category.
Rational-legal leaders
The majority of modern bureaucratic officialsBureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
and political leaders
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
represent this type of authority.
Officials:
- are personally free.
- serve a higher authority.
- are appointed on the basis of conduct and their technical qualifications.
- are responsible for the impartial execution of assigned tasks.
- Their work is a full-time occupation.
- Their work is rewarded by a salary and prospects of career advancement.
Politicians:
- are solely responsible for independent action.
- must recognize that public actions that conflict with their basic policy must be rejected.
- should have charismatic appealCharismatic authorityThe sociologist Max Weber defined charismatic authority as "resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him." Charismatic authority is one of three forms of authority laid out...
to win electionElectionAn election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s under conditions of universal suffrageUniversal suffrageUniversal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
.
See also
- The Three Types of Legitimate RuleThe Three Types of Legitimate Rule (book)The Three Types of Legitimate Rule is a book written by Max Weber, a German economist and sociologist. An English translation was published in 1958...
by Max Weber