What is Legitimacy:
Legitimacy refers to the quality or condition of legitimate. What is legitimate, on the other hand, is what is in accordance with the laws and, therefore, is legal.
Likewise, by extension, the adjective is usually used legitimate to refer to the validity or truth of a matter or thing. As such, the word derives from the Latin legitimusand is composed with the suffix “-dad”, which means quality.
In this sense, legitimacy It is a term associated with Political Sciences, Law and Philosophy, which designates that which is in accordance with what the legal system expresses.
The legitimacy It occurs when what the laws dictate or what an authority dictates is obeyed.
To do this, the norm issued must have the attributes of validity, justice and effectiveness, which imply that the law is promulgated by a competent body or authority; is fair, reasonable and equitable; and that citizens follow it, abide by it and comply with it.
When someone is endowed with legitimacyhas the capacity to perform a public function that involves exercising power, commanding and being obeyed.
The legitimacyas such, implies the recognition, by others, that a person is invested with public authority to hold a State position.
Legitimacy and legality
Legitimacy It is a concept associated with politics and the exercise of powers and public authority, while legality is a term related to the field of law that refers to what is legal.
On the one hand, the legitimacy It is obtained through a series of rules and procedures that provide certain officials with public authority and mandate, while the legality It is the entire legal system on which the political organization of a State is based, hence the exercise of power is subject to the legal system.
In this sense, when legitimately obtained power violates the laws, it automatically loses legitimacy.
See also the meaning of Legality.
Political legitimacy
The political legitimacy It is obtained, within a State, by complying with the series of regulations and procedures that give authority to the command and management of officials or occupants of a public office within the political organization of a nation or jurisdiction.
The opposite, the illegitimacywould bring about a crisis of legitimacy that would lead to a political crisissince citizens, by not knowing the legitimacy of those who exercise political power, would be forced not to recognize or obey their mandate.
Legitimacy of power
A can is legitimate when he has the power to command and be obeyed. To be legitimized, power has to comply with a set of rules and procedures, as well as go through a series of instances that will give it authority before those governed.
In Political Sciences, legitimacy implies the ethical justification of the origin of power, hence, in our modern political systems, the democracy be the legitimizing instance par excellence of power.
However, ancient political systems, such as monarchymaintain that the king’s power derives from divine will.
See also the meaning of Power.
State legitimacy
A State enjoy legitimacy when among the members of the political community, the social factors and the citizens that comprise it there is a consensus that is broad and solid enough to agree to abide by its order, its institutions, its laws and its authority.
See also the meaning of State.