Herrschaft (Rule)

According to general agreement, herrschaft is a basic category of sociological theory, a pivotal concept of political sociology and one, if not the, primary object of political science. How herrschaft emerges and elapses, above all how it constitutes itself, are key questions of political life. Who rules and who is being ruled is crucial in political thinking, but the word is often used without reflection or critique.

In general, herrschaft is understood as an asymmetrical social interrelation between one party issuing commands and the other party acting in obedience to orders. In this sense, a person, a group, or an organization can (temporarily) impose subordination upon others and expect that they will comply. It is an institution when characterized by regularity and success. Regardless of whether the ruling entities are represented by persons, or take an anonymous form, they provide a social world of chaos alternating with a stable structure.

Herrschaft is an important element of social order, a field of force around which societal connections and tensions are arranged. In this context, herrschaft is normally understood as a vertical (top-down) relation. However, it can also be regarded as a horizontal relation of equals, where those who rule and those who are ruled coincide and alternate (periodically or constantly). Most doctrines of rule from classical to modern times delineate a social and political order, where a consistent and commanding subject issues orders to specific consignees who obey (or disobey). The political function to come to authoritatively binding decisions, enforced upon the other societal systems, is granted to the ruling system (analogous to the political system in general).

The particular interest of political theory was directed toward the formulation of a typology of modes of herrschaft (aristocracy, monarchy, democracy, technocracy, etc.), initially pictured in a recurring cycle, then in an evolutionary line. In modernity, herrschaft is basically problematic, that is to say, exposed to systematical skepticism and potential overthrow. Questions of participation in and exclusion from herrschaft respectively are being discussed publicly, whereas the assessment of (governmental) power of herrschaft and coordination of (civic) power are of interest in particular. The question is if this political-theoretical concept of herrschaft is still significant for the social world at the beginning of the twenty-first century.