Legitimacy Quotes

It is not merely power. But acceptance and recognition. Legitimacy. It is the belief that an authority. A rule. Or a leader possesses the right to govern. This does not necessarily mean coercive force. Rather it is the collective consensus that makes a system stable and just. From kings claiming "divine mandate" to democratically elected governments. Legitimacy is the foundation upon which trust in any social or political system is built. Here you will find insights into this fundamental concept of governance and society.

Quote by Ronald Reagan: Yet optimism is in order, because day by day democracy is proving itself to be a not-at-all-fragile ...
Yet optimism is in order, because day by day democracy is proving itself to be a not-at-all-fragile flower. From Stettin on the Baltic to Varna on the Black Sea, the regimes planted by totalitarianism have had more than 30 years to establish their legitimacy. But none - not one regime - has yet been able to risk free elections. Regimes planted by bayonets do not take root.
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— Ronald Reagan
DemocracyOptimismTotalitarianismFreedomElectionsLegitimacy
Quote by Napoleon Bonaparte: A new-born Government must shine and astonish - the moment it loses its éclat it falls....
A new-born Government must shine and astonish - the moment it loses its éclat it falls.
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— Napoleon Bonaparte
GovernancePowerLegitimacy
Quote by Mark Twain: To be vested with enormous authority is a fine thing; but to have the on-looking world consent to it...
To be vested with enormous authority is a fine thing; but to have the on-looking world consent to it is finer.
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— Mark Twain
AuthorityPowerLegitimacyConsentPerceptionLeadership
Quote by John Lewis: John Lewis stood up and said in an interview that Donald Trump was not a legitimate president. It's ...
John Lewis stood up and said in an interview that Donald Trump was not a legitimate president. It's insanity.
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— John Lewis
PoliticsLegitimacyCriticism
Quote by Ronald Reagan: Regimes planted by bayonets do not take root....
Regimes planted by bayonets do not take root.
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— Ronald Reagan
TyrannyLegitimacyPowerFreedomHistory
Quote by John Lewis: That issue has been resolved for years now, and it's been resolved for at least two years in Donald ...
That issue has been resolved for years now, and it's been resolved for at least two years in Donald Trump's mind. And to bring that up as justification for John Lewis questioning the legitimacy of a democratic activity that is - has been around since the beginning of our country is wrong.
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— John Lewis
PoliticsLegitimacyDemocracyCriticism
Quote by Thomas Jefferson: I deem no government safe which is under the vassalage of any self-constituted authorities, or any o...
I deem no government safe which is under the vassalage of any self-constituted authorities, or any other authority than that of the nation, or its regular functionaries.
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— Thomas Jefferson
GovernanceAuthorityLegitimacy
Quote by Napoleon Bonaparte: Power is founded upon opinion....
Power is founded upon opinion.
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— Napoleon Bonaparte
PowerPublic OpinionLegitimacy
Quote by Tupac Shakur: I'm tryin to make a dollar out of fifteen centsIt's hard to be legit and still pay tha rent...
I'm tryin to make a dollar out of fifteen centsIt's hard to be legit and still pay tha rent
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— Tupac Shakur
StrugglePovertyEconomicsLegitimacy
Quote by John Lewis: For a person [like John Lewis] that is a champion of voter rights to question whether or not Donald ...
For a person [like John Lewis] that is a champion of voter rights to question whether or not Donald Trump legitimately won an election or not is an incredible position to take five days before an inauguration.
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— John Lewis
PoliticsLegitimacyElectionCriticismVoting Rights
Quote by John Lewis: DNI director [James] Clapper said as much many, many times, that there is no evidence that any outco...
DNI director [James] Clapper said as much many, many times, that there is no evidence that any outcome of the election was changed.
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— John Lewis
PoliticsElectionEvidenceLegitimacy