Define legitimacy and discuss why this concept is important in policymaking. How does public opinion about government affect legitimacy? What elements are important for policymakers to understand? How can policy analyst think strategically about legitimacy when developing policy?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Legitimacy is a belief on the part of the citizens that the current government represents a proper form of government and a willingness on their part to accept the government’s decrees as legal and authoritative. No matter the action of government, some citizen(s) will believe themselves disadvantaged by the action. Thus, the policy action must be defended as a legitimate one for government to make. As long as policies are established and carried out in accordance with the processes established in the Constitution, most Americans accept the actions of government as legitimate. Americans now have less confidence in government than has been true historically. Rejection of the actions of government, and thus, questioning of the legitimacy of a government can reduce its authority making it open to a challenge (e.g., Vietnam and Watergate). Legitimacy is largely psychological and depends upon the majority’s acceptance of the appropriateness of a government. Changes in a government may cause some citizens to question the legitimacy of a new government’s actions. Legitimacy has substantive as well as procedural elements. What is decided is as important as how matters are decided. Government must legitimate each policy choice. No matter how technically correct a policy choice may be, it is of little political value if it cannot be justified to the public. Policy analysts must understand that the political process will define the set of feasible policy alternatives. Policy analysts must not only advocate policies that fit existing definitions of feasibility, but they must have a strategy for expanding that definition if a highly innovative program is to be proposed.