Welcome to 1.9: Sustaining Legitimacy

Think of political legitimacy like a phone battery. In chapter 1.8, we learned that legitimacy is the degree to which a government's right to rule is accepted by its citizens. But legitimacy isn't a "one-time" thing—it can drain over time if it isn't recharged. In this chapter, we will explore how governments "recharge" their right to rule through performance and reform, and what happens when corruption starts to drain that battery.

How Governments Sustain Their Right to Rule

To keep citizens believing in the system, governments must show they are effective. If a government cannot provide safety, food, or a working economy, people start to wonder, "Why are these people in charge?"

Governments sustain legitimacy through several key strategies:

  • Economic Performance: This is one of the most powerful ways to stay legitimate. If the economy is growing, people are often willing to overlook other problems. For example, China has sustained legitimacy for decades by shifting its emphasis from agriculture to economic reform policies that have lifted millions out of poverty.
  • Policy Adaptation: Societies change, and governments must change with them to stay relevant. China’s shift from the one-child policy to new demographic policies is an example of adapting to social needs to maintain control and legitimacy.
  • Tradition and Religion: In Iran, the government sustains legitimacy through theocratic rule. By basing the system on Islamic law (Sharia), they appeal to the religious values of many citizens to justify their authority.
  • Political Participation: Even in authoritarian systems, allowing some form of participation can help. Mexico moved from a system dominated by a single party (the PRI) to a multiparty system, which helped maintain legitimacy by showing the government was responsive to demands for more competition.

Quick Tip: Don't confuse sustaining legitimacy with obtaining it. Sustaining is about the long-term work of keeping the public's trust through results and adaptations.

The Power of Internal Reform

Sometimes, a government realizes that its current structure is making people angry. To prevent a revolution or a total loss of authority, the government might "reform" itself from the inside.

Case Study: The United Kingdom and Devolution

The United Kingdom is a unitary state, meaning the central government in London technically holds all the power. However, to sustain legitimacy and keep the country together, the UK passed constitutional reforms that devolved (handed down) power to regional parliaments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. By giving these regions more control over their own affairs, the UK government maintained stability and its right to rule over a diverse population.

Case Study: Mexico and Nigeria’s Gender Policies

In Mexico, the use of gender quotas for candidates in elections has been used to increase the representation of women. Similarly, Nigeria uses ethnic quotas to ensure different groups feel represented in the government. These reforms are designed to make the government look more like the people it rules, which boosts legitimacy.

Threats to Legitimacy: The Poison of Corruption

If economic growth is the "recharger" for legitimacy, corruption is the "drain." Corruption occurs when public officials use their power for personal gain rather than for the public good.

How corruption hurts a regime:
1. It undermines the rule of law (the idea that laws apply to everyone equally).
2. It makes citizens feel that the system is "rigged."
3. It can lead to internal instability and protests.

All six of our course countries deal with different levels of corruption. For example:
- In Nigeria and Mexico, corruption in the police or oil industries (like Pemex in Mexico) has historically led to public distrust.
- In Russia, the government’s use of the judicial system to target political opponents can be seen as a form of corruption that weakens the legitimacy of the legal system.
- In Iran, the Guardian Council’s ability to exclude reform-minded candidates from elections can make citizens feel their voices don't matter, leading to events like the Green Movement protests.

Summary: The "Sustaining" Checklist

For the AP exam, remember that a government stays legitimate when it can answer "Yes" to these questions:

  1. Are we delivering results? (Economic growth in China).
  2. Are we listening to regional or social demands? (Devolution in the UK or gender quotas in Mexico).
  3. Are we cleaning up our act? (Fighting corruption to maintain public trust).

Key Takeaway: Sustaining legitimacy is a balancing act. Governments must use a mix of economic performance, social policy adaptation, and internal reforms to keep the "right to rule" battery charged. When they fail to do this, or when corruption becomes too high, the regime's stability is put at risk.

Note: For more on what happens when these efforts fail, check out Chapter 1.10 on Political Stability!