introduction to political science1

Legitimacy, Authority Legitimacy, Authority and Sovereignty, and Sovereignty,

POLISC 200 Introduction to POLISC 200 Introduction to Political SciencePolitical Science

Legitimacy, Sovereignty and Legitimacy, Sovereignty and AuthorityAuthority

The Concepts of Legitimacy Sovereignty The Concepts of Legitimacy Sovereignty and Legitimacy are interrelated.and Legitimacy are interrelated.

Legitimacy originally meant the rightful Legitimacy originally meant the rightful king or queenking or queen

Today it refers to an attitude in the minds Today it refers to an attitude in the minds of the peopleof the people

Sometimes it is strong sometimes it is Sometimes it is strong sometimes it is weak.weak.

..

Weak LegitimacyWeak Legitimacy

Lebanon and the problem of the Lebanon and the problem of the legitimacy of sovereignty.legitimacy of sovereignty.

Taxation systemTaxation system Obedience to the lawObedience to the law Distribution of wealthDistribution of wealth Anarchy vs. governmentAnarchy vs. government Good governmentGood government

Sovereignty Sovereignty Sovereignty is a French term meaning to Sovereignty is a French term meaning to

rule over.rule over. Originally, it meant the power of the Originally, it meant the power of the

monarch over his or her kingdom.monarch over his or her kingdom. The term was abandoned now it means The term was abandoned now it means

control over the country territory.control over the country territory. Take example Resolution 1559,Take example Resolution 1559, The demand of UN to have the The demand of UN to have the

government of Lebanon maintain its government of Lebanon maintain its sovereignty over all its territories.sovereignty over all its territories.

Militia and Army Militia and Army

SovereigntySovereignty

Iraq gained its nominal independence in Iraq gained its nominal independence in 2004, but it was still under US influence.2004, but it was still under US influence.

Sovereignty and Legitimacy are Sovereignty and Legitimacy are interdependent, take the example of the interdependent, take the example of the collapse of the Lebanese government in collapse of the Lebanese government in 1975. Was the government legitimate.1975. Was the government legitimate.

Syria occupied Lebanon from 1976-2005, Syria occupied Lebanon from 1976-2005, was the government of Lebanon sovereign was the government of Lebanon sovereign

Authority Authority

Authority is the psychological ability of Authority is the psychological ability of leaders to get others to obey them.leaders to get others to obey them.

It relies on a sense of obligation based on It relies on a sense of obligation based on legitimate power of office.legitimate power of office.

But do all people obey authority, what But do all people obey authority, what caused a the population ( the largest caused a the population ( the largest number) to obey authority.number) to obey authority.

Does legitimacy lead to sovereign control Does legitimacy lead to sovereign control and government authority.and government authority.

Origins of the Theory of Origins of the Theory of SovereigntySovereignty

The origin of the theory of law goes back to The origin of the theory of law goes back to the Middle Ages, during the era of the Middle Ages, during the era of Reformation. Reformation.

The essential role of the theory of law has The essential role of the theory of law has been to establish the legitimacy of power, been to establish the legitimacy of power, the central problem around which the the central problem around which the theory of law is organized is the problem of theory of law is organized is the problem of sovereignty, sovereignty, [2] where sovereignty is the where sovereignty is the authority that has the power to make law authority that has the power to make law within the state. within the state.


The Problem emerged due to the The Problem emerged due to the emerging Protestants who questioned the emerging Protestants who questioned the legitimacy of the law as instituted by the legitimacy of the law as instituted by the doctrine of the Devine Rights of Kings.doctrine of the Devine Rights of Kings.

Protestants demanded the separation Protestants demanded the separation between the Catholic Church and the King between the Catholic Church and the King in what later on became the system of in what later on became the system of parliamentary democracies starting in parliamentary democracies starting in England and the Republic in France.England and the Republic in France.


Jean Bodin (1576) in France made the first systemic discussion of the Jean Bodin (1576) in France made the first systemic discussion of the theory of sovereignty. Bodin's “theory of sovereignty was the theory upon theory of sovereignty. Bodin's “theory of sovereignty was the theory upon which the French absolute monarchy was to rest.” which the French absolute monarchy was to rest.” [1]

According to Bodin “law is a command that operates on two levels" The According to Bodin “law is a command that operates on two levels" The first level is the divine in which law is the command of God, "to which we first level is the divine in which law is the command of God, "to which we are all subjects including the absolutist monarch.”are all subjects including the absolutist monarch.”[2]

The second level is the level of the state where law is the command of the The second level is the level of the state where law is the command of the absolutist monarch. Bodin's theory was secularized by Hobbesabsolutist monarch. Bodin's theory was secularized by Hobbes Leviathan Leviathan (1651), and later on adopted by Bentham and Austin utilitarian tradition in (1651), and later on adopted by Bentham and Austin utilitarian tradition in what is known as the command theory of lawwhat is known as the command theory of law. .

[1] C.E. Jr. Merriam. C.E. Jr. Merriam. History of the Theory of SovereigntyHistory of the Theory of Sovereignty (Kitchener, (Kitchener, Ontario: Batoche Books, 2001: 4).Ontario: Batoche Books, 2001: 4).

[2] Christian Reus-Smit. [2] Christian Reus-Smit. The Moral Purpose of the State: Culture, Social The Moral Purpose of the State: Culture, Social Identity, and Institutional Rationality in International RelationsIdentity, and Institutional Rationality in International Relations. Princeton, . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999: 97).NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999: 97).

introduction to political science1

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