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  • SOC109 Lecture 5

Legitimacy

(SOC 109 F24 - Lecture 5, p.10)
"The basis of every system of authority, and correspondingly of every kind of willingness to obey, is a belief, a belief by virtue of which persons exercising authority are lent prestige." - Max Weber

• The willingness to obey comes from a belief.
• It's true if you believe it?
  • Legitimacy works through monopoly.
    • Only one rule making and law making authority in society.
    • The rule maker has to be recognizable.
      • Ex: Game of Thrones
      • Heir to the throne was not clear.
      • So the rule maker would not be clear either.
    • Rule followers must know what to do.
      • If there is no consensus upon what to do, then the legitimacy of the system will be questioned.
• Legitimacy is questioned when the above conditions are not met, or when people believe they can change the system themselves.
  • This is called a legitimation crisis.