Political

Organizations
Group 6
• Our society consists of many different
social organizations that are inevitably
related to each other. The basis unit of
these organizations is the family,
fromwhich we base kinship.
• We are able to learn the different kinds
of kinship, as well as their importance
and their effect on the society.
• Aside from family, another known
part of our social organization are
the political and leadership
structures. Politics is defined broadly
as the activities, associated with the
governance of a country.
• At the end of this lesson, you will be
able to:
• 1. Analyze social and political institutions
• 2. Understand the impact of the
existence of the social and political
institutions in our society
• 3. Learn about the different kinds of
authority and legitimacy practiced in
politics.
 Political Organization
• A political organization refers to any
organization that is involved in the
political process. This includes political
parties, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), advocacy groups, and special
interest groups.Nowadays, political
organizations are known for their
involvement with activities related to
politics.
 Types of Political Organization
• Political organizations exist in every
country, as they are essential in
managing public affairs, maintaining
social order, and resolving conflict.
But as there are varying societies,
different political systems have been
developed to suit their needs.
 Bands

• are the smallest of the four types

of political organizations. It is
usually a small group connected
by family ties and is politically
independent. They are most
often found in foraging societies
or groups of hunter-gatherers.
• As they are often small and are often a
nomadic group, bands usually have little
or lack formal leadership. Their decisions
are often based on group consensus
rather than the command of a central
governing official. For this, they are often
referred to as egalitarian societies, or
societies which all persons of the same
age and gender are seen as equals.
 Tribes
• are larger compared to band societies. It is
often described as a combination of smaller
kin or non-kin groups which are united by a
common culture.While tribal organizations are
larger compared to bands, they too are
egalitarian by nature. They lack centralized
political leadership. Tribe elders are often
assigned to manage clan affairs such as
settling disputes and negotiation with other
clans, but they do not hold political offices.
 Chiefdom
• Unlike the first two political
organizations, the chiefdom is
governed by a governing body, aptly
called a chief. The chief and his
family holds political power over the
rest of the society, which now
consists of more than one
community.
• Chiefdom is not egalitarian, but have
social rank, where the chief and his
family are the highest. It is a political
organization that involves a more
formal and permanent political
structure compared to tribal and
band organizations.
 State
• According to the German sociologist Max
Weber, a state is a compulsory political
organization with a centralized government
that maintains a monopoly of the legitimate
use of force within a certain territory. In
politics, a state refers to an organized political
community that is living under a single system
of government which governs a large
population, with a hierarchy of differing
political positions and the power to enforce
• They are the largest of the four
political organizations. They are
the most commonly seen political
organization nowadays.
 Authority and Legitimacy

• Political organizations have

lasted because they follow
certain guidelines.
 Authority
• is the concept of right to issue and,
using coercive power, to enforce a
command. It is not to be identified
with persuasion and influence. An
example would be the state, which
has the authority to make laws which
are obeyed by the citizens.
• Authority is exercised not just within a
political organization, but among other
social organizations as well. There is
parental authority which is often
exercised by families. The parents have
the authority over their children, as they
are the ones to allocate economic and
non-economic essentials, as well as
implement rules within their home.
 Legitimacy
• originated from the Latin word
“legitimare”, meaning to “declare,
lawful”. According to Weber, it is “the
basis of every system of authority,
and correspondingly of every kind of
willingness to obey, is a belief, a
belief by virtue of which persons
exercising authority are lent
• Simply put, legitimacy refers to the
popular acceptance of a government,
or any system of authority.Gaining
legitimacy is considered a basic
condition of rule among authorities.
Without it, a governing regime is
likely to collapse.
 Weber’s Theory of Authority
• Weber classified three types of
legitimate rule: traditional,
charismatic, and rational-legal.
 Traditional Authority
• is a type of authority that is legitimated
by the sanctity of tradition or custom. An
example of this are monarchies and
tribes, where authority is, by tradition,
either patriarchal or matriarchal.This type
of legitimate rule tends not to change
overtime. Moreover, it does not facilitate
social change.
• In feudal Europe, for example,
kings gained authority simply
because their fathers had been
kings. And as it has been a
tradition to have a king as a ruler,
subjects did not question this
kind of authority.
 Charismatic Authority
• on the other hand, is authority made
legitimate by a leader with a mission and
vision that inspires others. Weber defined a
charismatic leader as an individual that has
extraordinary characteristics. He or she can be
a head of a new social movement or someone
instilled with supernatural powers, such as a
religious prophet. By this definition, we can
say that religious organizations such as
Christianism and Islam are established by
Legal-Rational Authority
• (also known as Rational Authority) refers to a
form of leadership made legitimate by legal
rationality or legal legitimacy. Its legitimacy is
derived from the power of the content of law
or natural law.The best example of rational
authority according to Weber would be
bureaucracy (political and economic). This
type of authority is apparent in modern states
and city governments, as well as in voluntary
associations, private and public corporations.