1.8 Political Legitimacy
4 min read•december 26, 2022
Isabela Padilha Vilela
kelly-cotton
Isabela Padilha Vilela
kelly-cotton
Unit 1 - Political Legitimacy
Now that you already know about the political institutions and how they hold power, you will learn how they maintain it. For this part of the unit, you will have 2️⃣ tasks: define and describe the source of , and then describe how governments maintain .
Legitimacy
is when a government's constituents believe their government has the right to use power in the way it does. is important in both authoritarian 👑regimes and democratic 🙋🏾♀️regimes!
Sources of Legitimacy
Now that we have a definition, we need to understand where this comes from. Sources of for both authoritarian 👑 and democratic 🙋🏾♀️regimes can come from , tradition, , , , and/or the 's endorsement. Let's explore the main sources of for each of our countries of study.
The UK 🇬🇧—Tradition and stability. Keep calm and carry on.
Russia🇷🇺—Tradition and nationalism. Pre-dates Russia's constitution and enormous pride in political and economic advances, especially since the end of the Cold War.
China🇨🇳— and . Mao and the second largest GDP in the world give .
You can note here that Economic stability plays a great factor in China's within and outside its borders.
Iran🇮🇷— and . The 1979 religious can be traced back to this and the traditions of Shia Islam.
Mexico🇲🇽— and constitution. First social of the 20th century, and a great deal of pride in the creation of the constitution as a result of the .
Nigeria🇳🇬—Independence and constitution. Big role in the development of Africa and their arrival at independence from British rule. Very proud of 1999 constitution and the expansion of political freedoms.
Now, let's take a look at different sources of and check one example for each:
| Source of | Importance + Example |
| Nationalism | Concept: It is a movement that emphasizes interest in a nation in particular. It can be a positive force that provides unity, as well as one that will promote wars and territorial claims. Example: Iranian nationalism 🇮🇷 is highly associated with the 1979 , which brought a new regime to power and defined its political landscape. By viewing this transformation as a positive change in its history, Iranian people engage in trying to preserve its political system and culture from foreign intervention. This is a source of . |
| Tradition | Concept: It is tied to long adopted beliefs, practices and customs from a society. It is often viewed as a source of stability in a country. By providing the continuation of tradition, governments can earn , as the population will most likely agree that the government is fulfilling expectations that come from tradition. Example: Russia's 🇷🇺 tradition of Imperialism, which consists of annexing other territories and expanding its wealth, is a historical legacy that is still adopted by the government today. |
| Concept: it is tied to the ability of the government to grow and develop domestically and internationally. is important to demonstrate to citizens that the country is "on the right track." It also increases their individual economic perspectives, which consequently improves their quality of life and they care able to attribute that improvement to the government. Example: after the downfall of the soviet union in 1991, Russia 🇷🇺 had a couple of years of 💰, which helped to legitimize its government transition. | |
In this guide you've read that political stems from a consolidated power dynamic between political institutions and actors. In the next guide, you will read about how governments can sustain it. 💪
Key Terms to Review (12)
Collective Ownership
: Collective ownership refers to a system where resources, property, or means of production are owned and controlled by a group or community rather than individuals.Constitutions
: Constitutions are fundamental documents that establish the basic principles, structures, powers, and limitations of government. They often outline individual rights and serve as supreme law within a country.Dominant Political Party
: A dominant political party refers to a political party that consistently holds power and influence in a particular country or region. It often has a strong presence in the government and can shape policies and decision-making.Economic Growth
: Economic growth refers to an increase in a country's production of goods and services over time, resulting in a rise in the overall standard of living for its citizens.Economic Success
: Economic success refers to a country's ability to achieve sustained economic growth, improve living standards, reduce poverty, and provide opportunities for its citizens.Governmental Effectiveness
: Governmental effectiveness refers to how well a government is able to achieve its goals and provide services efficiently. It encompasses factors such as policy implementation, responsiveness to citizens' needs, and overall governance capacity.Ideology
: Ideology refers to a set of beliefs or ideas that shape political behavior and policy preferences. It provides individuals with frameworks for understanding society and guides their views on how it should be organized.Legitimacy
: Legitimacy refers to the acceptance and recognition of a government or political system by its citizens as having the right to rule and exercise authority.Marxist-Leninist Theory
: Marxist-Leninist theory is a political ideology based on the ideas of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. It combines elements of Marxism, which focuses on class struggle and the need for a revolution, with Leninism, which emphasizes the importance of a vanguard party to lead the working class in achieving socialism.Popular Elections
: Popular elections refer to the process of selecting political leaders through a voting system in which all eligible citizens have the opportunity to participate and choose their representatives.Religion
: Religion also shapes the way people view the political system, either positively or negatively. Religious groups preach different sets of beliefs/ideologies and provide individuals with a perspective of politics that revolves around their own faith.Revolution
: A revolution is a sudden and significant change in the political, social, or economic structure of a country. It often involves mass movements and can result in the overthrow of a government or ruling system.1.8 Political Legitimacy
4 min read•december 26, 2022
Isabela Padilha Vilela
kelly-cotton
Isabela Padilha Vilela
kelly-cotton
Unit 1 - Political Legitimacy
Now that you already know about the political institutions and how they hold power, you will learn how they maintain it. For this part of the unit, you will have 2️⃣ tasks: define and describe the source of , and then describe how governments maintain .
Legitimacy
is when a government's constituents believe their government has the right to use power in the way it does. is important in both authoritarian 👑regimes and democratic 🙋🏾♀️regimes!
Sources of Legitimacy
Now that we have a definition, we need to understand where this comes from. Sources of for both authoritarian 👑 and democratic 🙋🏾♀️regimes can come from , tradition, , , , and/or the 's endorsement. Let's explore the main sources of for each of our countries of study.
The UK 🇬🇧—Tradition and stability. Keep calm and carry on.
Russia🇷🇺—Tradition and nationalism. Pre-dates Russia's constitution and enormous pride in political and economic advances, especially since the end of the Cold War.
China🇨🇳— and . Mao and the second largest GDP in the world give .
You can note here that Economic stability plays a great factor in China's within and outside its borders.
Iran🇮🇷— and . The 1979 religious can be traced back to this and the traditions of Shia Islam.
Mexico🇲🇽— and constitution. First social of the 20th century, and a great deal of pride in the creation of the constitution as a result of the .
Nigeria🇳🇬—Independence and constitution. Big role in the development of Africa and their arrival at independence from British rule. Very proud of 1999 constitution and the expansion of political freedoms.
Now, let's take a look at different sources of and check one example for each:
| Source of | Importance + Example |
| Nationalism | Concept: It is a movement that emphasizes interest in a nation in particular. It can be a positive force that provides unity, as well as one that will promote wars and territorial claims. Example: Iranian nationalism 🇮🇷 is highly associated with the 1979 , which brought a new regime to power and defined its political landscape. By viewing this transformation as a positive change in its history, Iranian people engage in trying to preserve its political system and culture from foreign intervention. This is a source of . |
| Tradition | Concept: It is tied to long adopted beliefs, practices and customs from a society. It is often viewed as a source of stability in a country. By providing the continuation of tradition, governments can earn , as the population will most likely agree that the government is fulfilling expectations that come from tradition. Example: Russia's 🇷🇺 tradition of Imperialism, which consists of annexing other territories and expanding its wealth, is a historical legacy that is still adopted by the government today. |
| Concept: it is tied to the ability of the government to grow and develop domestically and internationally. is important to demonstrate to citizens that the country is "on the right track." It also increases their individual economic perspectives, which consequently improves their quality of life and they care able to attribute that improvement to the government. Example: after the downfall of the soviet union in 1991, Russia 🇷🇺 had a couple of years of 💰, which helped to legitimize its government transition. | |
In this guide you've read that political stems from a consolidated power dynamic between political institutions and actors. In the next guide, you will read about how governments can sustain it. 💪
Key Terms to Review (12)
Collective Ownership
: Collective ownership refers to a system where resources, property, or means of production are owned and controlled by a group or community rather than individuals.Constitutions
: Constitutions are fundamental documents that establish the basic principles, structures, powers, and limitations of government. They often outline individual rights and serve as supreme law within a country.Dominant Political Party
: A dominant political party refers to a political party that consistently holds power and influence in a particular country or region. It often has a strong presence in the government and can shape policies and decision-making.Economic Growth
: Economic growth refers to an increase in a country's production of goods and services over time, resulting in a rise in the overall standard of living for its citizens.Economic Success
: Economic success refers to a country's ability to achieve sustained economic growth, improve living standards, reduce poverty, and provide opportunities for its citizens.Governmental Effectiveness
: Governmental effectiveness refers to how well a government is able to achieve its goals and provide services efficiently. It encompasses factors such as policy implementation, responsiveness to citizens' needs, and overall governance capacity.Ideology
: Ideology refers to a set of beliefs or ideas that shape political behavior and policy preferences. It provides individuals with frameworks for understanding society and guides their views on how it should be organized.Legitimacy
: Legitimacy refers to the acceptance and recognition of a government or political system by its citizens as having the right to rule and exercise authority.Marxist-Leninist Theory
: Marxist-Leninist theory is a political ideology based on the ideas of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. It combines elements of Marxism, which focuses on class struggle and the need for a revolution, with Leninism, which emphasizes the importance of a vanguard party to lead the working class in achieving socialism.Popular Elections
: Popular elections refer to the process of selecting political leaders through a voting system in which all eligible citizens have the opportunity to participate and choose their representatives.Religion
: Religion also shapes the way people view the political system, either positively or negatively. Religious groups preach different sets of beliefs/ideologies and provide individuals with a perspective of politics that revolves around their own faith.Revolution
: A revolution is a sudden and significant change in the political, social, or economic structure of a country. It often involves mass movements and can result in the overthrow of a government or ruling system.
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