Why are people obedient to bad authority figures in Night?

This is a great question, and one that 125 words is not likely to cover entirely. I can, however, offer somethings to consider.

First, in the case of the Holocaust, one has to remember that those who tried to help the Jews (by hiding them, etc.) were, themselves, punished.  Thus, trying to help others or rise up against Hitler came at a great personal risk.  Hitler was the political leader and had a large army...

This is a great question, and one that 125 words is not likely to cover entirely. I can, however, offer somethings to consider.

First, in the case of the Holocaust, one has to remember that those who tried to help the Jews (by hiding them, etc.) were, themselves, punished.  Thus, trying to help others or rise up against Hitler came at a great personal risk.  Hitler was the political leader and had a large army at his disposal.

Second, sometimes people followed Hitler because it gave them a sense of power.  Hitler rose to power at a time when Germany was in disgrace.  He conducted his speeches in local biergartens (sort of like bars) where he met with common folks and gained their allegiance and support.  Many people were able to rise to a status that they wouldn't have otherwise known as part of the Nazi army.

Finally, psychological studies like Milgram's electric shock experiment tell us that, to some extent, people are hard wired to follow authority figures and are not always primed to challenge authorities when what they are being asked to do what runs counter to their own consciences.  Likely, all of the above factored into multiple decisions not to rise up against Hitler.