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Democracy and Legitimacy

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An easy to read summary of chapter four of Andrew Heywood's Politics

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  • September 27, 2021
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  • 2021/2022
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DEMOCRACY AND LEGITIMACY


LEGITIMACY AND POLITICAL STABILITY

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Although states may enjoy monopoly of coercive power, they seldom remain in
existence through the exercise of force alone

However, states seek legitimacy over the use of force, by turning might into right, and
obedience to duty

Legitimacy is thus often the key to political stability. And its the source of a regime’s
survival and success

Democracy is sometimes viewed as the only meaningful form of legitimacy

Legitimacy - Definition

Legitimare – to declare lawful; rightfulness

If something is legitimate, it is authoritative and binding; it orders you to do something –
example?

It transfers power into authority

 Power: the ability to do something / achieve a desired outcome
 Authority: the right to do something; legitimate power

Hence, most governments seek authority to make its rule legitimate

When a government is legitimate; it may demand obedience from citizens

Thus, people will be willing to comply with the system of rule regardless of how it is
achieved

In any regime, we find political obligation – citizens are obligated to obey the laws

,Legitimising Power

Power is legitimised through authority, and obedience is better achieved through
legitimacy




Three Types of Authority

1. Traditional Authority

Based on long-established customs and traditions

Seen as legitimate because it has ‘always existed’

 Sanctified in history as earlier generations accepted it

Operate according to set rules

 Fixed and unquestionable customs that do not need to be justified

Examples:

 Amongst tribes and small groups of patriarchalism and gerontocracy
 Monarchies like UK – help to shape political culture by holding on to values like
duty and respect




2. Charismatic Authority

Based on the power of an individual’s personality – charisma (p.83)

Authority operates through the capacity of the leader to make an appeal to followers as
a kind of hero

 Owe nothing to person’s status, social position or office

, Consequences of charismatic authority

 Authority has no limits as it is not based on rules; leader become an
unquestionable Messiah and masses become submissive disciples
 Difficult for system of rule to outlive the founding figure seeing that authority is
linked to a charismatic individual

Examples: Napoleon, Hitler, Castro, Gadhafi




3. Legal-rational

Links authority to a clearly and legally defined set of rules

Operates in most modern states

The power of a leader is determined by formal, constitutional rules (can limit what he /
she may do)

Advantage:

 Attach authority to an office rather than a person; less likely to be abused
 Maintains limited government and promotes efficiency through rational division of
labour

Disadvantage

 Depersonalised and inhuman social environment typified by relentless spread of
bureaucratic forms of organisation




Legitimation Crisis And Revolutions (alternative to Weber)

Problem with Legitimacy: because there are different class systems, it is difficult to
maintain legitimacy

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