History of the Baha'i Faith in 30 seconds

The Báb declared himself the coming of the hidden Mahdi of the Shaykhi branch of Shia Islam. He said that Subh-i-Azal was his successor, but his half-brother Bahá'u'lláh, also one of his followers, quickly declared himself a new Manifestation of God and took over the authority supposedly from Subh-i-Azal.

Bahá'u'lláh appointed his eldest son, 'Abdul-Bahá as his first successor, and his other son, Muhammad Ali as the second one. 'Abdul-Bahá expelled his own brother, Muhammad Ali, and later declared his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, the legitimate successor and 'Guardian' of the Faith.

Shoghi Effendi - the Guardian, according to the Bahá'í law, was supposed to write a Will and appoint an offspring as his successor to the office of the Guardianship. He failed in both and thus Mason Remey, one of "the Hands of the Cause" (title of 'fellows' of the Guardian), interpreted himself that he was the 2nd Guardian and the responsible for the continuity of the Guardianship. The Faith was split into many smaller sects as a result of this move.

The other Hands of the Cause, with the consent of the Bahá'i World, chose to take on the task of establishing the Universal House of Justice (the world administrative center of the Bahá'i Faith), and elected themselves to form this body without a living Guardian, who should have been the Chairman and Head of the Universal House of Justice for life (according to the Will and Testament of 'Abdul-Bahá).
This nine-men body is elected on a regular basis and continues to operate in Haifa, thinking itself infallible and guided by God in all its decisions!