Legal-rational authority is best described as which of the following?

Legal-rational authority is characterized by its foundation in formal rules, laws, and procedures that are established within a legal framework. This form of authority is common in modern bureaucratic organizations and governance systems, where authority is not derived from the personal characteristics of leaders or from long-standing traditions, but rather from a system of laws that are meant to apply equally to all citizens.

In societies exhibiting legal-rational authority, individuals follow directives because they recognize the rules as legitimate, typically under democratic governance or within complex organizations such as corporations and governments. The emphasis is on rationality, procedural correctness, and legality rather than personal attributes or cultural customs, which distinguishes it sharply from the other forms of authority mentioned in the question.

Thus, the correct description of legal-rational authority is that it is grounded in legal rules and regulations.