UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

POLITICAL LEGITIMACY AND AUTHORITY

Authority vis-à-vis Legitimacy

Authority is the power to make binding decisions and issue commands. It is necessary for a leader to
possess authority. What makes authority binding and worthy of obedience is its legitimacy.
Legitimacy is a moral and ethical concept that bestows one who possesses power the right to exercise
such power since such is perceived to be justified and proper. Legitimacy is not automatically
acquired just because one has authority. This occurs when the authority was obtained through
improper means such as through violence or when one commits cheating in an election, or when one
is perceived to be undeserving of power due to lack of qualifications. Hence, for authority to be
binding and stable, it must be legitimate.

Weber and the Types of Legitimate authority

Max Weber identifies three types of authority based on the source of their legitimacy.
1. Traditional authority
Legitimacy is derived from well-established customs, habits, and social structures. Monarchial
rule of elites in a chiefdom are examples of leadership systems that have traditional authority.
2. Charismatic authority
Legitimacy emanates from the charisma of the individual, which for some can be seen as a “gift
of grace”, or the possession of “gravitas” or an authority derived from a “higher power”, such as
those that are associated with the divine right of kings. Religious leaders, or even popular icons
such as movie actors, are examples of people who may end up possessing charismatic
authority.
3. Rational-legal or bureaucratic authority
This kind of authority draws its legitimacy from formal rules promulgated by the state through
its fundamental and implementing laws. This is the most dominant way of legitimizing
authority in modern states, and this is from where government officials draw their power.

Performance task #2
Direction: Write a critical essay analyzing the type of leadership of the President of the Republic of the
Philippines. Give particular attention on how he exercises his authority in times of crisis.

Date of Passing: November 28, 2022

Rubric
Features Expert (5) Accomplished (4) Capable (3) Beginner (2)
Quality of writing Piece was written Piece was written Piece had little Piece had no style
in an in an style and voice; and voice; gives
extraordinary extraordinary gives some no information
style and voice; style and voice; information but and very poorly
very informative somewhat in a poorly organized
and well- informative and organized
organized well-organized manner
Grammar usage Virtually no Few spelling, A number of So many spelling,
and mechanics spelling, punctuation or spelling, punctuation or
punctuation or grammatical punctuation or grammatical
grammatical errors. grammatical errors.
errors. errors is present.
Clarity of analysis Very clear clear Acceptable Vague
of the president
Correctness of the Very clear Clear Acceptable Wrong
analysis of the
president