| Sources of Authority
Max Weber, a German sociologist who wrote extensively on the concept of authority, identified three sources of authority. They are
Legal-Rational Authority: The exercise of legal-rational authority is derived from a body of rules, regulations, laws, constitutions and decrees governing a state. For example, people obey policemen because they have the backing of the law.
Traditional Authority: This right to rule is based on or derived from age long customs, traditions and conventions of the people. Here, obedience is based on respect for tradition by the people.
Charismatic Authority: this is the right to rule based [on the unique, special or peculiar personality traits of an individual which make the people obey him because it is believed that he is endowed with some exceptional natural gifts and powers.
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