Political Legitimacy and the State

By Rodney S. Barker

Governments and their supporters attempt to justify their power by arguing for their moral, rightful, or predestined claim to authority. Political Legitimacy and the State examines the accounts that have been given of legitimacy, proposing that legitimation should be studied as a form of
political activity in its own right. Drawing on recent historical examples, Barker argues for a more diversified understanding of the function and character of political legitimacy, suggesting that rulers are often far more concerned about legitimating their power than are those whom they govern.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198274955
• ISBN13: 9780198274957
• Release Date: November 1990
• Publisher: Clarendon Press
• Length: 224 Pages