📜intro to political science review

Rational-legal legitimacy

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025

Definition

Rational-legal legitimacy is a form of political legitimacy where authority is derived from a system of well-established laws and procedures. It emphasizes the legal-rational organization of power within a society, where leaders gain authority through adherence to a codified rulebook.

AP course connection

Topic 13.1: 13.1 Contemporary Government Regimes: Power, Legitimacy, and Authority

Unit 13
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