What Is A Legitimate Government
An Overview of Methods and Techniques Used by Governments to Justify Their Powers and Deportment
With the electric current talk of "rogue states", "authorities changes" and of wars of "preemption" and "liberation" the issue of legitimacy of governments begs to be resolved.
What are the criteria for determining that a state is "rogue", and who has authority to make such determination? What is the difference betwixt a "authorities" and a "regime"? Who and on what footing can proclaim a government a "regime" and qualify its removal or replacement? All these questions can be reduced to the unmarried general question: "What gives governments and their actions legitimacy?".
The question of legitimacy of governments and their actions is not new, it has preoccupied Flesh throughout all its history. And governments have sought unlike ways to justify the legitimacy of their condition and their actions.
- Legitimization of Authorities Condition
- Legitimization of Regime Status by Fear
- Legitimization of Government Status by Natural Leadership
- Legitimization of Government Status by Popular Support
- Legitimization of Regime Status by Hereditary Succession
- Legitimization of Government Condition past Elections
- Legitimization of Government Actions
- Legitimization of Government Actions by a Leader's Wishes
- Legitimization of Government Actions by Ideologies
- Legitimization of Government Actions by Organized religion
- Legitimization of Government Actions by Tribalism, Nationalism and Patriotism
- Legitimization of Government Actions by Political Convenience
- Legitimization of Government Deportment by Social Acceptability
- Some Common Techniques of Legitimization of Regime Deportment
- Creation of an Enemy
- Name Calling
- Vilification of Opponents
- Stonewalling
- Cover‐ups
- Use of the Pronoun "Nosotros"
- Institutionalization
- Misinformation
- Laws of Men and Laws of God
- Global Laws for the Global Hamlet
I. Legitimization of Government Condition ----- to top
Every bit people have always needed somebody to resolve disputes betwixt themselves and to protect them from their own violence and dishonesty as well as to organize them and manage them in their common tasks, people ever finished by existence governed by somebody. And this somebody was elevated to the condition of government by one of the ways described below.
ane. Legitimization of Government Condition by Fear ----- to top
The about primitive style of establishing a government over a group of people is to proclaim oneself the Leader and force the people to submit to i's volition past fell force. This blazon of government has existed throughout all the history of mankind. Such governments are inherently unstable, because, sooner or afterward, somebody volition replace such authorities past the aforementioned method it had risen to ability. But such governments tin can stay in ability for many decades or even for a few generations.
2. Legitimization of Government Status by Natural Leadership ----- to top
Often, peculiarly when a tribe is in urgent demand of leadership, such as attack by other tribes or dealing with some natural calamities, a person emerges from among them who is the most capable of beingness a leader due to his personal abilities, and people naturally follow him. The availability of such leaders is, still, pure luck (or an Act of God). In all nations and religions there are prayers for wise and capable leaders, just they are seldom answered, and people have to resign to being lead by vain opportunists, who rely on demagogy to continue themselves in power.
iii. Legitimization of Authorities Condition by Popular Support ----- to peak
Some people aspiring to leadership have greater popular appeal than others, they might exist charismatic, photogenic, or but practiced demagogues. Hitler is an example of such popular leader.
iv. Legitimization of Government Status by Hereditary Succession ----- to acme
Once a leader is established, his leadership could be passed on his death to his children past hereditary succession. This method used to be very mutual, and is still in use in some countries, but has mostly been replaced by elections.
5. Legitimization of Government Condition by Elections ----- to top
Sometimes having realized that they need a leader, people decide to elect one from among themselves. In a small group this can be as unproblematic as drawing lots. In established nations this is usually achieved though a complex balloter arrangement.
But, whichever way a person or group of people are brought to regime power, they would need to legitimate their deportment.
II. Legitimization of Government Actions ----- to acme
Governments consequence orders (or decrees) and enact laws. These orders and laws can be based on capricious wishes of the leader (tyranny), or on understanding of the needs of the human guild (religion), or on elaborate theories (ideologies) which justify the actions of authorities.
1. Legitimization of Government Actions by a Leader's Wishes ----- to top
While such legitimization is usually associated with tyrannies of gangsters or absolute rulers, like Louis Xiv of French republic, who equated his own personality with the state (L'etat c'est moi — I am the state), there has been a resurgence of such legitimization in recent months. Thus, Tony Blair justifies the need for a war against Iraq past the strength and passion of his own feelings and beliefs. It is obvious that his own feelings and beliefs are his own individual personal matter, and the merely style to justify a state of war is a legal proof based on facts and legal principles. Just Tony Blair sees his personal feelings and convictions as a law which he can impose on the residue of the world — just equally Louis Fourteen of France (1643–1715).
2. Legitimization of Authorities Actions by Ideologies ----- to top
Ideologies are fanciful pseudo‐scientific theories, the purpose of which is to provide a system of beliefs that the proponents of such theory take a right to interfere with freedom and property of others. Ideologies have been oftentimes used to legitimize authorities deportment. The near notorious and widespread ideology in the 20th century was Socialism in its different varieties: Communism, National, International, Democratic, Popular, Christian, Arab, etc. Hitler and Stalin are the most notorious 20th century Socialist rulers. Tony Blair and Saddam Hussain began their careers as Socialists.
The primary assumption of the Socialist ideology was the thought of "public ownership", which allowed a Socialist government to confiscate the property of private people and to take an almost complete control over their lives.
3. Legitimization of Government Deportment by Religion ----- to summit
Religion has been used to legitimize actions of government in two ways: every bit an ideology, and every bit a way of seeking objective homo values inherent in the nature itself.
Employ of religion every bit an credo was simply to proclaim the ruler himself as God (as the Pharaoh of Egypt) or to merits that the deportment of the ruler are inspired by God.
Utilise of faith as a fashion of seeking objective human values inherent in the Nature itself consists of seeking to create laws based on Natural Justice, that is of laws independent of everyone's will or interests, and applicable to all men in equal measure. The laws of the Bible and the Qur'an are examples of such laws. In this case the ruler is spring to follow these natural, objective laws rather than his own desires, passions and beliefs.
iv. Legitimization of Government Actions past Tribalism, Nationalism and Patriotism ----- to superlative
Tribalism, nationalism and patriotism as means of justification of government actions is the acceptance of a proposition "right or wrong my [tribe, nation or] country". It is a belief that the interests of the group to which one belongs are higher up the interests of all other groups. It is a form of collective egoism glamorized equally an "ideal". Past appealing to the feelings of national (or tribal) pride, and by exciting hatred against other nations (or tribes) the leader can put himself in a position of absolute power. By having identified himself with the grouping in the eyes of the group members, he equates loyalty to himself with loyalty to the nation (tribe or land). Anybody who opposes him is labeled as traitor and "enemy of the people". Upward to recent times this was ane of the master ways of legitimizing regime powers particularly at times of wars.
K.W. Bush's "With United states or Confronting Us" doctrine is an case of globalizing this technique. The globe is presented every bit two camps "U.s.", the U.s.a. and its allies, and them "The Terrorists, and their Harbourers and Supporters". Thus, anybody who does not want to be labeled a terrorist and an "Enemy of Civilization" must identify himself with the National Interests of the US, and the personal Leadership of Grand.W. Bush himself. This techniques has proved to be successful to justify the Afghan war in the wake of the 9/11 hysteria, just has failed to rally the whole world in support of the war against Iraq, because by that time the nine/11 hysteria had evaporated and the world started regaining their ability to think rationally.
five. Legitimization of Authorities Actions past Political Convenience ----- to top
The practice of governments of using their powers to do what is convenient to them is as old as government itself, merely information technology was not till late 20th century that politicians began to justify their actions by saying "nosotros had to exercise it that way, considering it was politically convenient". This was quite a common way of justifying authorities failures and abuses of power.
6. Legitimization of Government Actions past Social Acceptability ----- to summit
This late 20th century technique was usually used in conjunction with that of "Political Convenience". Information technology means just getting away with government failures and abuses of powers, because the public accepts them without mounting an opposition which would cause sufficient inconvenience to the authorities in power. This was commonly expressed as "we did information technology considering it was socially acceptable", or "we did it considering it was politically user-friendly and socially adequate". The general public distrust and disfavor to politicians is due in a corking measure to the utilize by politicians of these techniques. Having no practical ways to deal with abuses of powers past government people merely turn abroad from the politicians in disgust.
When the abuses of powers issue in injustice to ethnic or similar groups, and there are no practical ways of dealing with these abuses, social acceptability can plow into riots, civil wars and terrorism.
III. Some Common Techniques of Legitimization of Government Actions ----- to acme
In addition to the higher up methods of legitimization of government powers, a number of techniques have been used to legitimate government actions either as office of the higher up methods or in improver to them.
ane. Creation of an Enemy ----- to elevation
To justify attacking a country, a group of population, or a particular individual rulers simply proclaim their victim an "enemy". Once the victim is labeled as enemy any activity confronting it is seen as legitimate. Everyone attempting to defend the "enemy" is labeled equally "enemy" himself. Today the US government keeps under arrest hundreds of prisoners captured at the time of the Afghan state of war. Having proclaimed them as enemies, the US regime tin treat them in any way they delight.
two. Name Calling ----- to acme
Name calling is a very common technique to justify acts of hostility against a chosen victim. Information technology is used by children, grown‐ups, and governments. One of the currently fashionable means of justifying a war against a country is to proclaim the regime of that land a "regime".
3. Vilification of Opponents ----- to pinnacle
Labeling as enemy and name calling are ofttimes accompanied past vilification of the intended victim of aggression. Vilification consists in publication of propaganda fabric intended to nowadays the victim in the worst possible low-cal. By dissimilarity "friends and allies" are presented in the best possible light while any negative facts near them are suppressed or played down.
4. Stonewalling ----- to summit
"Stonewalling" is a political jargon term used by government officials to describe ignoring of complaints against their actions or raising of inconvenient for them questions. An "awkward" result is simply ignored in the hope that the person raising the awkward issue, having received no response to his query will give up and not pursue it further.
This is as well called "relying on the hassle factor". That is the fact that people might not have enough motivation or resources to go through "all the hassle" of fighting the government bureaucracy, which could be a very time consuming business.
This technique is oft used and often proves constructive and allows governments and government officials to go abroad with incompetence and abuses of power, just leads to distrust and negative attitudes towards government and tin have an adverse outcome on those who practise such techniques at the times of the elections.
v. Cover-ups ----- to acme
Whenever a government does something wrong, the standard reaction is to comprehend upwards their misdeeds. Often cover‐ups piece of work, and attempts to uncover the truth frequently consequence in expensive inquiries lasting for years and often with uncertain results. The effect of the cover‐ups is similar to that of "stonewalling" — loss of trust in authorities.
The attempts by the John Major authorities to cover upwards the "Artillery to Iraq" scandal played a major role in the downfall of his government.
One of the cover‐ups at the international stage is the cover‐up of the crimes committed by the Israelis confronting the Palestinians in 1947–1948. Denial, ignoring and refusal to acknowledge these crimes and deal with their consequences are the principal cause of the so‐chosen Middle East Disharmonize, which lasted for over fifty years, and was a major contributing factor to world terrorism and the events of the 9/xi.
The connected abstention of this consequence in the present attempts to resolve this conflict gives niggling hope that this disharmonize will exist resolved until political games are abandoned, the truth is acknowledged and justice prevails.
Employ of the Pronoun "We" ----- to top
A common technique of legitimization of their actions by politicians is the use of the pronoun "we", every bit in "We must disarm Saddam Hussain". Such use suggests the speaker talks on behalf of all the nation and has its full support. Similar upshot is the use of the name of the state instead the name of the leader, as in "United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland must make up one's mind", instead of "I must decide on behalf of Britain".
Institutionalization ----- to top
This technique consists of suggestion that an institution, or a person holding a public function cannot be wrong, and for that reason a statement by such person or a decision of such institution should be unquestioningly accustomed every bit valid.
Tony Blair has used this technique on a number of occasions when his other arguments appeared to be unconvincing. He would say, "Would I say this, if it were wrong?".
An interesting example of how this technique works in practice, was the fact that on the consequence of whether the state of war against Republic of iraq was justified some people were saying that they were against the war, but would support information technology, if there were a UN resolution in support of it.
The validity of any issue depends only on facts and logical reasoning from fundamental assumptions. Truth of facts cannot be established by vote, nor injustice turned into justice. But people are prepared to take decisions based on agreements betwixt politicians who distort or hide the truth and pervert the logic and whose understanding of justice is their "national interests" and electoral prospects. And people are surprised that the world is in a mess!
Misinformation ----- to top
Misinformation, that is hiding, distortion and fabrication of facts and drawing of simulated logical conclusions, is used both equally office of other legitimization techniques and as a large scale activity in its ain correct, in which case it is ordinarily called propaganda, or "spin".
Tony Blair is notorious for setting upward a "spin" operation to justify his politics. Propaganda has been heavily used by the Socialist governments of Hitler and Stalin. The Bush administration has been heavily relying on propaganda in their bid to rule the world.
IV. Laws of Men and Laws of God ----- to elevation
Having reviewed various means of legitimization of government and government deportment, we can now empathize that legitimization is nothing else than acceptance by the people of the authority of a regime.
People submit themselves to a government and its orders and laws through fearfulness, necessity, or as a effect of manipulation of their emotions (hatred or fearfulness of a real or imaginary enemy, expectation of a receipt of benefits, ruler deification, etc), or only because they do not have the means of dealing with the incompetence and abuses of powers by government officials — all these methods of imposition of control come from the regime itself.
The but culling to this is accepting the authority not of men, only of objective laws based on the realities of Nature itself. In this example the ruler becomes simply an administrator, rather than a despot or a demagogue seeking to impose his own volition on the people by brutal forcefulness or by charade and manipulation of human emotions.
Examples of attempts to govern people past objective, non‐political laws based on Natural Justice are the Laws of Moses and of the Qur'an. The more modern attempts of government by such laws are the laws of some European countries which were in functioning in the 17th to the 19th century. In the 20th century such laws were replaced by political legislation aimed to advance interests of various constituencies and pressure groups and to keep political demagogues in ability.
While in the by honesty and competence of national leaders depended on the personal qualities of the leaders themselves, today the amount of knowledge and the power to distribute and use this noesis has vastly increased. By establishing strict procedures and command of government activities to ensure that the government powers are non driveling it is possible to eliminate politics from government.
Five. Global Laws for the Global Hamlet ----- to meridian
In the past all laws or justifications of powers of regime were confined to the nation states governed past national rulers. This was truthful regardless of the methods by which the ruler was raised to power. Other nations were seen as enemies or as temporary allies against other enemies. No ally could e'er exist trusted and could plow into an enemy at any fourth dimension. The present American Foreign Policy doctrine is even so based on this view of the world: enemies and allies. Simply the present day earth has become likewise closely interconnected and the model of rival nation states constantly at war with each other has become obsolete.
Flesh is becoming i single nation, and an objective Natural‐Justice‐based supra‐national law is becoming an obvious necessity. No person, grouping or nation has a monopoly of right and wrong — all are equal nether the police force. The regal dinosaurs, similar G.W. Bush-league and Tony Blair, are however trying to impose their volition on the residual of the earth by force of artillery, but this only makes the need for a world order based on rule of law, rather than super‐power gangsterism, still more obvious for the rest of the earth.
1000.Westward. Bush is hooked on wars equally a heroin junky. State of war hysteria helps him to maintain his popularity and his power. This is why, if the Republic of iraq war proves an easy victory, he volition get for another war, probably against Syrian arab republic or Iran, as per the Netanyahu books and speeches. To maintain the war hysteria he will need to occupy more and more countries. His craving for wars will simply finish when he has suffered a burdensome defeat, only this might not come up until he has conquered enough countries to overstretch his resources, which he is bound to do sooner or later on. And so his empire will collapse. And the higher he climbs, the harder will be the fall.
The Bush wars will upshot in greater move and intermixing of people, and the resistance to his wars will be bringing people closer together. Out of the ashes of this sprawling Earth War Three will ascend a single united world determined to put an end to wars and politics and to create a world club based not on legitimization techniques, but on truth, honesty and justice. And the kickoff of this process can exist seen fifty-fifty now.
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What Is A Legitimate Government,
Source: http://truth-and-justice.info/legitimacy.html
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