Legitimacy is a specific property of political power. This is a form of support and recognition of its legitimacy, the exercise of government by the state or its individual structures.
The origins of the concept of "legitimacy" originate from the Latin word "legality". But these two concepts are not synonymous. Political power is not always based on laws and rights, but the support of one or another part of the population is always present. This is not legality and not a legal type of government based on legislation. Power can simultaneously be legal, but not legitimate, or legitimate, but not legal. The ideal option is when power is both legal and legitimate.
The possibility of legitimization has been much discussed throughout the history of political thought. Some scholars believe that power can be so due to common values and ideals that allow citizens to express support for it.
At the same time, other scientists argue that such common values do not exist in a society divided into segments, so legitimate power is impossible.
Supporterscontract theories believe that legitimacy is a concept that comes from the agreement of citizens about goals and values.
E. Burke singled out theoretical and practical aspects in this concept, and analyzed it only in relation to any regime. He believed that the habit and positive experience of citizens can contribute to the construction of a model of power that could satisfy all the interests of citizens and get their full support.
It is now generally accepted that legitimacy is the support of power, which comes from three subjects: the population, the government and foreign policy structures. They are its sources. In relation to the population, legitimacy is the support of the general population. This, in fact, is the cherished goal of all political regimes, the achievement of which can ensure the stability and stability of power. Legitimacy and legality of power are not connected in any way here. A positive attitude of the population towards it can be formed against the background of any problem that is in the center of public attention. But negativism can form in conditions of poor government and its low efficiency.
Legitimacy is often initiated and formed by the government, political structures that encourage the mass consciousness to give positive assessments to the existing regime. The more effective elite structures support people's belief in the optimality of the current state of affairs, the higher this indicator in relation to the authorities.
External political centers can play the same role: international organizations, friendly countries. This type of gaining legitimacy is often used in election races. This is an unstable phenomenon, it can vary its intensity. Due to the decrease in intensity, a crisis of legitimacy may occur. This phenomenon is often associated with the destabilization of power, that is, its inability to exercise its functions, the use of violence, military conflicts, the lack of flexibility of the political regime, and the violation of constitutional rights.
