Legitimacy
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Definition
Legitimacy is the quality by which a government, regime, institution, or decision is accepted as rightful from the standpoint of the governed or relevant norms.
Background
Political science and political philosophy ask how consent, law, procedure, representation, performance, and normative justification turn power into authority rather than mere coercion.
Position
It is central for wartime elections, authoritarian regimes, post-revolutionary order, and international recognition.
Distinctions
- Legitimacy overlaps legality but is not exhausted by legal validity.
- Effective control or military power is not the same as rightful authority.
Primary source-backed reference selected for this concept.
Sources
- Legitimacy - Britannica Reference
- Political Legitimacy - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Reference
Page Context
- Ukraine / Russia: Wartime Elections and Political Legitimacy
Ukraine / Russia: Wartime Elections and Political Legitimacy 1. Executive Summary As of May 2026, Ukraine and Russia are both wartime states, but they handle elections in opposi...
Quote: Ukraine / Russia: Wartime Elections and Political Legitimacy geopolitics
Pages
- Ukraine / Russia: Wartime Elections and Political Legitimacy
Ukraine suspends elections under martial law, while Russia continues to hold elections in wartime. This report compares the two on constitutional rules, monitoring, repression, and international assessment.
geopolitics