ABSTRACT
To say that militarism arises for political reasons is not really saying very much. After all, it could be argued that all reasons are in some sense political. Economic imperatives, status considerations and so forth can all be seen as being broadly political. However, if we think instead of political necessity, it does put a slightly different complexion on the matter. Alternatively, a society may undergo change when an altogether new –or seemingly new –political ideology has been imposed which is alien to its previous traditions. Political culture inevitably involves political socialization, the inculcation and internalization of the required political norms. Once these norms are acquired and accepted unquestioningly, they may be formally codified, and this endows them with the status of legitimacy. In Max Weber's well-known typology, legitimate authority can be one of three ideal types: Traditional; Charismatic; and Legal-rational. In practice, these types actually overlap; for instance, all three are represented in the authority structure of Nazi Germany.
