Intl204 State Authority

WEBERWEBERS THREE TYPES OF S THREE TYPES OF LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY

Weber defined authority as occurring when there is a probability that people will obey a specific command. He defined legitimate authority as occurring when people obey the authority because they regarded it as rightful.

Difference between legitimate and illegitimate authority is crucial. In the former case people obey voluntarily. In the latter case obedience is crucial, whether voluntary or involuntary..

Traditional authorityTraditional authorityan established belief in the sanctity of immemorial an established belief in the sanctity of immemorial traditionstraditions

LegalLegal--rational and utilitarian authorityrational and utilitarian authoritythe belief in the legality of rules and in the right of the belief in the legality of rules and in the right of those who occupy positions by virtue of those rules to issue those who occupy positions by virtue of those rules to issue commandscommands

Charismatic authority Charismatic authority attaches itself to a certain uniquely magnetic or inspiring attaches itself to a certain uniquely magnetic or inspiring

leader and leader and rests upon the devotionrests upon the devotion of his followers to of his followers to his his extraordinary sanctity, extraordinary sanctity, heorismheorism or exemplary or exemplary charactercharacter as well as to the as well as to the patterns of order revealed or patterns of order revealed or ordained by himordained by him

Democracies emphasize powerDemocracies emphasize power--sharing. Actors ( sharing. Actors ( government agencies and or societal actors) government agencies and or societal actors) exercise exercise power as influence power as influence more than more than power power as dominanceas dominance. Authoritarian regimes have the . Authoritarian regimes have the opposite tendency.opposite tendency.

Power as dominancePower as dominance: the ability to control and : the ability to control and determine political outcomes on a regular or determine political outcomes on a regular or continuing basis. Maximum degree of political continuing basis. Maximum degree of political power.power.

Power as influencePower as influence: the capacity to effect : the capacity to effect political outcomes indirectly and partially, political outcomes indirectly and partially, without fully controlling them.without fully controlling them.

Again, power as influence is focused on Again, power as influence is focused on voluntary obedience, whereas power as voluntary obedience, whereas power as dominance is focused on obedience dominance is focused on obedience per seper se. .

Power as dominance is unlikely to be accepted Power as dominance is unlikely to be accepted by people who have sufficient socioby people who have sufficient socio--economic economic and political development to value their own and political development to value their own freedom.freedom.

Income distributionIncome distribution GiniGini coefficient (GQ): a measure of how coefficient (GQ): a measure of how

equitably the national income is shared by equitably the national income is shared by different different income groupsincome groups in society. The gap in society. The gap between low and high income groups.between low and high income groups.

The higher the GQ, the more The higher the GQ, the more unequalunequal income income ditributionditribution..

GQGQss for highly unequal income distributions lie for highly unequal income distributions lie between 50 and 70. between 50 and 70. GQsGQs for relatively equal for relatively equal distributions lie between 20 and 35. distributions lie between 20 and 35.

Comparative political economy question: how Comparative political economy question: how do you expect income distribution in a country do you expect income distribution in a country to influence whether it is democratic or to influence whether it is democratic or authoritarian?authoritarian?

How do you explain Pakistan (How do you explain Pakistan (GiniGini coefficient: coefficient: 30.6 and undemocratic), South Korea (30.6 and undemocratic), South Korea (GiniGini: 31.6 : 31.6 and semiand semi--democracy) and the United States democracy) and the United States ((GiniGini: 40.8 and democracy)?: 40.8 and democracy)?

PoliticalPolitical corruptioncorruption as as thethe illegal illegal ororunethicalunethical useuse of a of a politicalpolitical positionposition totoprovideprovide specialspecial advantagesadvantages forfor individualsindividuals ororgroupsgroups. .

The The statestate is the totality of a countryis the totality of a countrys s governmental institutions and officials, governmental institutions and officials, together with the laws and procedures that together with the laws and procedures that structure their activities. structure their activities.

The state monopolizes legal authority. In The state monopolizes legal authority. In other words, only the state possesses the other words, only the state possesses the legal authority to make, and coercively legal authority to make, and coercively enforce, laws that are binding on the enforce, laws that are binding on the population. This legal authority makes the population. This legal authority makes the statestates decisions s decisions authoritativeauthoritative..

TheThe statestate has legal has legal authorityauthority toto useuse physicalphysicalforceforce. .

ToTo thisthis endend it it seeksseeks toto monopolizemonopolize thethe mainmainmeansmeans of of coercivecoercive powerpower. .

A A failedfailed statestate is a is a statestate thatthat has has littlelittle oror no no abilityability toto governgovern itsits entireentire territoryterritory. .

SovereigntySovereignty means the exclusive legal means the exclusive legal authority of a government over its authority of a government over its population and territory, independent of population and territory, independent of external authorities. external authorities.

LegitimacyLegitimacy, is the right to rule. , is the right to rule. For Max Weber, the state For Max Weber, the state is a human is a human

community that (successfully) claims the community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.force within a given territory.

AutonomyAutonomyThe concept of the autonomy of the state The concept of the autonomy of the state refers to the relative independence of state refers to the relative independence of state authorities from the population. authorities from the population.

If the state enjoys a high degree of If the state enjoys a high degree of autonomy, then state officials are quite free autonomy, then state officials are quite free to do what they please when it comes to to do what they please when it comes to governing the populace. governing the populace.

By contrast, a low degree of state autonomy By contrast, a low degree of state autonomy means that state officials have very little means that state officials have very little room to create laws or make decisions room to create laws or make decisions independently of the population as a whole independently of the population as a whole or or as is more likelyas is more likely-- independently of its independently of its politically most powerful groups. politically most powerful groups.

WEBERS THREE TYPES OF LEGITIMATE AUTHORITYIncome distribution