legitimacy
/ɫəˈdʒɪtəməsi/
the rightful authority to exercise political power
legitimacy in a sentence
“Democratic elections confer legitimacy on governments.”
Origin of legitimacy
Latin legitimus 'lawful' from lex 'law'
Related Words
natural rights
rights inherent to human beings, not granted by government
distributive justice
the fair allocation of goods and resources in society
social contract
the implicit agreement among individuals to form society
sovereignty
supreme authority within a territory
liberty
freedom from arbitrary restraint or coercion
justice
the fair and equitable treatment of individuals