Define and summarize the development of traditional authority. Include sociologist Max Weber's point of view

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

According to sociologist Max Weber, traditional authority is power that is legitimized on the basis of long-standing custom. In preindustrial societies, the authority of traditional leaders, such as kings, queens, pharaohs, emperors, and religious dignitaries, is usually grounded in religious beliefs and custom. Members of subordinate classes obey a traditional leader's edicts out of economic and political dependency and sometimes personal loyalty. However, as societies industrialize, traditional authority is challenged by a more complex division of labor and by the wider diversity of people who now inhabit the area as a result of high immigration rates. As the division of labor in a society becomes more complex, political and economic institutions become increasingly interdependent. Gender, race, and class are closely intertwined with traditional authority.. Political scientist Zillah Eisenstein suggests that racialized patriarchy—the continual interplay of race and gender—reinforces traditional structures of power in contemporary societies. "Patriarchy differentiates women from men while privileging men. Racism simultaneously differentiates people of color from whites and privileges whiteness. These processes are distinct but intertwined."