Perceptions of the Legitimacy of Collective Decisions
Title
Perceptions of the Legitimacy of Collective Decisions
Author
Patty, John W.
Research Area
Class, Status and Power
Topic
Political Power
Abstract
In practical terms, political legitimacy is a subjective phenomenon, based on individuals' perceptions. These perceptions are based on four factors: the distributive efficiency of the outcomes from the decision, the distributive fairness of those outcomes, the equal access of the process used to make the decision, and the accountability of that process. In addition to discussing those factors, I also address the related questions of what factors lead individuals to make legitimacy judgments and the types of situations in which these judgments are most important.