Sustaining and Reinforcing Legitimacy

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on sustaining and reinforcing legitimacy, including core definitions, methods of sustaining legitimacy, reinforcement strategies, and country-specific case studies.

How is legitimacy defined in the lecture?

A citizen's belief that the government has the right to rule.

What does sustaining legitimacy mean?

Maintaining the citizens' belief that the government has the right to rule and continuing to endure that belief over time.

What is the distinction between sustaining legitimacy and reinforcing legitimacy?

Sustaining refers to how a government continues and endures legitimacy over time, whereas reinforcing means to strengthen legitimacy.

What are the five methods a regime can use to sustain its legitimacy?

Policy effectiveness, tradition, charismatic leadership, institutionalized laws and procedures, and political efficacy.

How is policy effectiveness defined as a method of sustaining legitimacy?

Ensuring the government addresses policies and problems competently by fulfilling promises through concrete actions, such as maintaining security, providing public services, and generating economic growth.

What is a major problem associated with charismatic leadership?

It is difficult to transfer charismatic leadership from one person to another, which often leads to political leaders staying in power for long periods.

What is political efficacy?

The citizens' belief that they can understand and influence politics, meaning that their participation and vote matter in government.

What relationship exists between higher political efficacy and support for the regime?

Higher political efficacy consistently leads to an increase in support for the regime.

What are the five ways a government can reinforce (strengthen) its legitimacy?

Peaceful resolutions of conflict, peaceful transfer of power, reducing corruption, economic development, and policy effectiveness.

What does peaceful resolution of conflict entail when reinforcing legitimacy?

Resolving disputes, violence, and protests both internally and externally while protecting state sovereignty.

Why is a peaceful transfer of power critical for reinforcing legitimacy?

It allows new leaders to assume power through death or election without causing disruptions to the state or destabilizing the country.

How does reducing corruption help reinforce legitimacy?

Less corruption increases citizens' trust, leading them to view the government as a legitimate source of authority.

What is the primary method the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) relies on to sustain public support and legitimacy?

Sustained economic growth and performance, accompanied by nationalistic pride and history.

How does Iran primarily reinforce and sustain its regime's legitimacy?

Through religion, with clerics ensuring Sharia law is upheld alongside the authority of conservative levers and the supreme leader (Ayatollah Kamini).

What two developments have supported and grown legitimacy in Mexico over the last two decades (post-1999/2000)?

Competitive multiparty democratic elections and constitutional/judicial reforms.

How does Nigeria sustain legitimacy across its diverse population, and what major factor undermines it?

It sustains legitimacy through broad political representation of its diverse ethnicities and over 500 spoken languages, but corruption undermines it.

How does Russia reinforce its legitimacy through its political party structure?

Through the dominant party United Russia, a practical 'catch all party' that adjusts its ideology to capture votes, winning almost 60% of the vote in the last election.

What is devolution in the United Kingdom?

The sharing or splitting of power between the central UK government and regional governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales, allowing them their own parliaments and laws.

What challenge to unity has the UK faced in Scotland despite devolution?

Scotland has held multiple separation votes to leave the UK, and while none have fully passed, the margins have been getting closer each time.