Traditional authority

Traditional authority is a form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a regime is largely tied to tradition or custom. The main reason for the given state of affairs is that "things have always been that way".^[1]

feudalism replaces the paternal relationship of patrimonialism by a contract of allegiance based on knightly militarism.

the patrimonial ruler's grants of authority and the personal dependence of official are replaced in feudalism by the contractual freedom, personal allegiance and socioeconomic prominence on the part of the vassals.

Pre-industrial society

The Three Types of Legitimate Rule

South Africa: traditional leaders