MODULE 3

Cultural, Social, and Political Development

Lesson 7

Political Institutions
Politics, Power, and Authority
 Politics, Power, and Authority

As societies progressed through the centuries, people organized

themselves in more complex ways, and relationships began to be
increasingly defined by power and authority.
Among the most significant social developments were the
formulation of laws that defined social behavior, promoted social order,
and settled disputes. *
Politics, Power, and Authority

Politics refers to activities through which people make, preserve,

and amend the general rules under which they live.
It involves the dynamics of conflict resolution and cooperation, as
well as the exercise of power.

Power refers to the ability to do something in order to achieve a

desired outcome. *

Authority is legitimate power. This means that a person who has

authority has the right to exercise power. *
Politics, Power, and Authority

• Bands during the prehistoric period

were only comprised of family
members and their leadership structure
was less complicated and simple. *

• The establishment of larger

communities such as tribes and
chiefdoms paved the way for more
complex forms of organizations where
leadership was no longer simply based
on skill. Other bases of legitimacy of
leadership came about. *
Politics, Power, and Authority

As societies further progressed from bands to nations, political

structures and institutions evolved in different forms.

Following are several trends that have been observed pertaining

to the development of political structures and institutions throughout
the centuries:

1. increased population density;

2. large surplus of resources and wealth;
3. greater social inequality;
4. less reliance on kinship relations as basis of political structures;
5. increased internal and external conflict;
6. increased power and responsibility of leaders; and "
7. Increased burden on the population to support political leaders.
Legitimacy and Types of Authority
 Legitimacy and Types of Authority

Legitimacy originated from the Latin word legitimare, meaning “to

declare lawful,” and is broadly defined as “rightfulness.”

Legitimacy confers on an order or command an authoritative or

binding character, thus transforming power into authority.

Political philosophers treat legitimacy as a moral or rational

principle that is the ground on which governments may demand obedience
from citizens.

The claim to legitimacy is thus more important than the fact of

obedience. *
Legitimacy and Types of Authority

Max Weber studied the transformation of

societies and observed that the bases of legitimacy
of rule vary in different types of societies.
He came up with three types of authority:
• traditional,
• Charismatic
• legal-rational.

For Weber, there must be an explanation or

justification why certain people rise to positions of
authority or superiority and why they are obeyed.
Thus, the important question to be asked is
what makes a rule or a law accepted and obeyed by
people?
Three Types of Authority

• Traditional Authority

In many societies, authority is

based on a system that is believed to
have "always existed." This is what is
referred to as traditional authority.

Some people have this type

of authority because they inherited it Queen Elizabeth II
or they occupy a position that has
been passed on to them. The
legitimacy of this type of authority is
based on long-established customs
and traditions that do not need to be
justified.*
King Charles III
Legitimacy and Types of Authority

• Charismatic Authority

- It is based on the presumed special and extraordinary

characteristics or qualities possessed by a certain individual.

People with charisma are often very popular, highly persuasive, and
inspire loyalty and obedience from other people. They are also often seen as
"born leaders” and “heroes”. *

Fidel Castro Mao Tse Tung John F. Kennedy Ramon Magsaysay

Legitimacy and Types of Authority

• Legal-Rational

Legal-rational authority is the most typical type of authority in

modern societies.
Power and authority in a legal-rational context are legitimized by a
clearly defined set of written rules and laws. Leaders can rightfully wield
authority if they obtain their positions according to established
procedures such as elections or through appointment. Heads of
governments such as presidents and prime ministers pose legal-rational
authority.*

The three types of authority identified by Weber are what he

referred to as to “ideal or pure types.”

In practice, the type of authority that is recognized in a certain

society or state may be a mix of these different types.
Types of Political Organizations
and
Leadership Structures
 Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

Anthropologists define political organizations as "the groups within

a culture that are responsible for public decision-making and leadership,
maintaining social cohesion and order, protecting group rights, and
ensuring safety from external threats.”

The earlier types of societies such as bands and tribes were basically
dominated by personal and familial ties as these were comprised of families and
clans.
• the leaders were not simply political leaders or those who made decisions
for the society.
• The leaders exercised their authority to settle disputes among the people.
• They also decided on economic matters like the distribution of food, the
selection of crops, determining harvest periods, and securing territory.*
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

POLITICAL DYNASTIES are believed to have

always existed even in advanced democratic
states.

A "dynasty" refers to a succession from

rulers from the same line of descent. Thus,
relatives who stay in power-specifically, members
of one family who continuously hold elective
political positions--are considered members of a
political dynasty.

Political clientelism (or clientelistic politics) is

defined by Susan Stokes as "giving material
goods in return for electoral support." The
relationship involves two parties: the patron
(politician) and the client (voter). *
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

The onset of the Industrial Revolution brought about significant

changes in the economic, social, and political life of societies. Most
significant of these changes was the rise of the modern nation-state.*

• Nation consists of a distinct population of people bound together by a

common culture, history, and tradition who are typically concentrated
within a specific geographic region.

• State is a political unit that has sovereignty--the legitimate and ultimate

authority of the state-over an area of territory and the people within it.

In an attempt to clarify the distinction between the nation and the

state, it has been pointed out that the nation has two aspects:
• a cultural community
• a political community. *
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

Kurdish People

Thus, a state is a political unit that encompasses several

communities, has a bureaucracy, and has leaders that possess legitimate
power. *
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

Weber observed that the processes of rationalization

and bureaucratization that happened in Western European
societies were a consequence of industrialization .

The expansion of economic activities led to the

rationalization of economic functions of individuals which in
turn paved the way for the growth of bureaucracy.

The term bureaucracy means "rule by officials.”

For Weber, the bureaucracy is characterized by

"rationality, rule-governed behavior, and impersonal behavior.”
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

Another significant process that happened in Western

Europe was political liberalization.

Political Liberalization- refers to the emergence of liberal-

democratic regimes that are characterized by a representative
form of democracy where political office is gained through
formal, competitive elections in many Western societies.

Thus, institutions such as political parties emerged.

Principles such as political equality and electoral choice also
developed. This led to the emergence of an impersonal and
legally-based type of leadership and this soon became the
norm in many European societies.
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

Not all societies around the world went through the same
processes experienced in the West.

For example, in the Philippines, the attempt to establish political

institutions patterned after the American model did not necessarily bring
about the type of liberal democracy existing in the United States. Scholars
agree that this is largely due to a variety of factors, including the type of
political culture that exists in societies.

Political culture refers to the pattern of orientation to political

objects such as parties, government, and constitution, expressed in
beliefs, symbols, and values. People generally acquire values and
attitudes about politics and political institutions through the process of
political socialization. *
Types of Political Organizations and Leadership Structures

Example of Clientelistic behavior

 Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Activity No. 1- 2nd Quarter

(Lesson 7)
Instruction: Answers must be written down in a one (1) whole sheet of
paper.

1. Identify a political dynasty in your city or province. Identify its

members who have been elected into office or are currently
serving in a government position. Research into how this family
or clan first came into power, their significant contributions to
your locality, and significant issues they faced over the years.
Evaluate if this particular political dynasty has benefitted or
harmed your locality.

Note: Submission date: September 18, 2024