Question

Briefly explain the terms authority and legitimacy. How are the two concepts related?

Answer 1

Authority simply has the "power of the right to give orders, to make decisions, and to enforce obedience." Simply meaning that if you have authority, it means you have the ability to command and enforce. Legitimacy means "popular acceptance of a government , political regime, or governance system," which simply means that the majority accepts that particular leadership. All these terms work off and bring something unique to the table.

Authority is based on the power which is given to the state, government. This authority is all based on the power that the government is given, the authority is simply the execution of that power. Likewise, the Legitimacy is also based off of the power Max Weber proclaimed that “societies behave cyclically in governing themselves with different types of governmental legitimacy. That democracy was unnecessary for establishing legitimacy, a condition that can be established with codified laws, customs, and cultural principles, not by means of popular suffrage.” Legitimacy is simply the acceptance of something in political science. Legitimacy is the root of all Communist, Democracy’s, and Monarchy’s which are all forms of government.