Political Legitimacy

1. Political Legitimacy How and Who has the power/authority to rule?

2. Political Legitimacy • Legitimacy- the right to rule. 3 Forms of Legitimacy (Max Weber) • Traditional Legitimacy • Charismatic Legitimacy • Rational-Legal Legitimacy

3. Political Legitimacy • Legitimacy- the right to rule. 1. Traditional Legitimacy – the belief that tradition should determine who should rule & how. • Most Monarchies • Ritual, Symbols & ceremonies reinforce • Often shaped by religion King Louis XIV of France A Divine Right Monarch

4. Political Legitimacy • Legitimacy- the right to rule. 2. Charismatic Legitimacy – based on the dynamic personality of an individual leader or small group. • Qualities compel people to want to follow & even give their lives to their leader • Notoriously short-lived (does notsurvive its founder) Nazi Leader Adolf Hitler

5. Political Legitimacy • Legitimacy- the right to rule. 3. Rational-Legal Legitimacy – based on a system of well-established laws & procedures. • Highly institutionalized, based on the rule of law 1) Common Law – based on tradition, past practices, and legal precedents set by the courts ex.) United States 2.) Code Law – based on a system of written rules (codes) of law set by the legislature ex.) China, Mexico, Russia

6. Political Legitimacy Factors that Encourage Legitimacy 1. Economic Well-Being – citizens tend to credit their government with economic prosperity 2. Historical Longevity – governments (regime forms) that have been in place for a while 3. Charismatic Leadership – powerful factor 4. Shared Political Culture – citizens strongly identify with themselves & government 5. Satisfaction – citizens benefit from the government