This lesson introduces political legitimacy: the question of what gives a government the right to rule. It begins with divine rule and then examines Thomas Hobbes’s social-contract argument for a powerful central authority.
Every political system relies on authority: the power to make and enforce collective decisions. Political legitimacy concerns the grounds on which that authority is accepted or justified. It also raises questions about the limits of rulers’ power, citizens’ rights, and the obligations governments and citizens owe one another.
All flashcards
Political legitimacy
The grounds on which governmental authority is accepted or justified, including questions about its proper limits.
Hobbes’s social contract
People authorize a common political power to restrain conflict and secure peace.
Locke’s natural law
Moral law people can recognize through reason, requiring respect for others and their liberty.
Rational-legal authority
Authority accepted because it follows established rules, offices, and procedures.
Communitarianism
A view that social relationships shape people and that individuals have responsibilities to their communities.
Quiz questions
What is the main difference between normative and descriptive accounts of political legitimacy?Answer: Normative accounts assess whether authority is justified; descriptive accounts explain why people accept it.
In Locke’s account, what does civil society provide to help protect people’s rights?Answer: Established laws, an impartial judge, and a means to enforce decisions.
What is the basis of charismatic legitimacy in Max Weber’s classification?Answer: Followers’ belief in a particular leader’s exceptional qualities.
Which set of ideas matches Amitai Etzioni’s account of communitarianism?Answer: People need social interaction, communities sustain norms, and rights involve responsibilities.
What does ahimsa require of people resisting injustice in Gandhi’s philosophy?Answer: Non-harming, including restraint from anger and violence toward opponents.