The term authority refers to power that has been institutionalized and is recognized by the people over whom it is exercised. Sociologists often use the term in relation to those who hold legitimate power through elected or publicly acknowledged positions. Importantly, a person’s authority is limited by the constraints of a particular social position. Therefore, the arbitrator has the authority to decide whether a penalty should be called during a football game, but has no authority over the price of tickets for the game.

Max Weber (1947) provides a classification system regarding authority that has become one of the most useful contributions and frequently quoted in early sociology. He identified three ideal types of authority: traditional, legal-rational and charismatic. Weber did not insist that particular societies fit exactly into any of these categories. Rather, all may be present in a society, but varies the degree of relative importance. Sociologists have found Weber’s typology to be very valuable in understanding the various manifestations of legitimate power within a society. Read the rest of this entry »