legitimate authority
Sanctioned governing power
Legitimate authority is power that is recognized as rightfully held—authority people accept as valid rather than merely imposed.
A government has legitimate authority when citizens acknowledge its right to govern, not just its capacity to enforce.
The concept appears in political philosophy, sociology, and law: The regime lost legitimate authority after the disputed election.
Sources of legitimacy vary: tradition, democratic consent, legal procedure, or expertise.
Distinct from raw power, legitimate authority commands voluntary compliance.
- sovereignSupreme in power
- divine rightGod-granted ruling authority
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
rule of law · sanction · rightful · consent · lawful · by the book · power · rule · throne · crown · decree · ordained · seat of power · vested · vested interest · recognized · governance · dominion
- War Ethicsjust war, rules of war, rules of engagement, Geneva Conventions, Geneva Convention
- Social Contractsocial contract, consent of governed, state of nature, natural rights, Hobbes
legitimate authoritytyranny
Oppressive, absolute governance
usurpation · despotism · dictatorship · autocracy · puppet regime
legitimate authoritycoercion
Pressured compliance through threats
brute force · oppression · subjugation · reign of terror · intimidation
legitimate authoritycoup
Abrupt seizure of power
junta · warlordism · mob rule · occupation · colonialism
legitimate, authority, legitimacy, legitimize, legitimization, legitimately, illegitimate, illegitimacy, authorize