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- What is Legitimacy
- In simplest terms this is a justification of validity, but how does that apply to politics?
- Theories of Legitimacy
- There is no legitimacy: political Legitimacy implies the right to use violence and the idea that some are worth more than others. This is immoral and untrue and thus itself illegitimate.
- Legitimacy by force and power: those who have the force to secure power, acquire thereby the right to do so.
- Legitimacy from the economy: those that control the economy in a good way are thereby bringing benefits to the country and are therefore legitimate.
- Legitimacy from governmental beneficence: the government that looks after its people properly thereby acquires legitimacy.
- Legitimacy from democracy: the democratic process decides by vote who is the legitimate ruler.
- Legitimacy from the social contract: there is an agreement at the basis of society. As long as a government keeps to their end of this agreement, they are legitimate.
- Legitimacy from the constitution: a constitution outlines the way in which a government come into power, as long as the government in question doesn’t violate the constitution either in getting into power or maintaining power, they are legitimate.
- What Gives Legitimacy to a party, candidates or government?
- Representation
- Qualifications
- Fulfilling Obligations
- Just Laws
- Human Flourishing