Part 9/21:
Weber’s influential view centers on authority and legitimacy. He defines politics as the pursuit of dominance—the hierarchical organization of society based on accepted legitimacy. According to Weber, political rulers gain authority when their power is seen as legitimate—people obey not just out of coercion but because they recognize their leader’s right to command. Modern states, like France's, exemplify this with a dominant authority that commands obedience based on laws and consent, not force alone.