Legitimacy theory has developed from a western human centric point of view. The initial question was how to control human beings. In answer to this question, the nation state – a hierarchical ordered construct – was invented. The concept of legitimacy refers to the people’s acceptance of this political entity. Thus, the concept of political legitimacy is historically bound to the nation state and its political system. Recent developments attempt to question this. This becomes most obvious when it comes to the global problems we are facing. We live in a complex global governance system and affecting decisions are made by global organizations beyond the nation state. Just as the state is no longer capable of controlling and managing society anymore I argue that the society is no longer capable of controlling the decisions made within – or beyond – a nation state. Neither our traditional tools of domestic democracy, nor such instruments as state consent on a global level are longer sufficient.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Theoretical background
1.1 Legitimacy theory
1.2 Realization of legitimacy
1.3 The state in the 21st century
2. Global Legitimacy
2.1 Why we need it
2.2 How we achieve it
3. Political legitimacy and the WTO
3.1 World Trade Organization
3.2 The legitimacy of the WTO
4. How to solve the problem?
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This work examines the evolution of political legitimacy from a nation-state perspective toward the requirements of global governance. It investigates the legitimacy crisis within international organizations, specifically the World Trade Organization, and explores whether traditional democratic tools are applicable or if new standards for legitimacy are required in a global context.
- Historical evolution of legitimacy theory (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant).
- The shift from the nation-state to global governance structures in the 21st century.
- The legitimacy deficits of the World Trade Organization and the role of state consent.
- Challenges of applying democratic principles to international organizations.
- Methods and potential resolutions for achieving legitimacy beyond the nation-state.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 The concept of legitimacy
In the first place Thomas Hobbes and John Locke concerned themselves with legitimacy. Thomas Hobbes was born in 1588 and most strongly influenced by the English Civil War. Due to his experience, Hobbes strongly emphasizes the barbaric status of the human nature (Münkler 2001, 51). He assumes that such values as “justice, equity, modesty, merci, and, in sum, doing to others as we would be done to […] are contrary to our natural passions, that carry us to partiality, pride, revenge and the like” (Hobbes 2008, 116). In order to overcome these dark circumstances, Thomas Hobbes developed a philosophy, initially in the theory of social contract, where all men yield the right to govern themselves to one man or one assembly of men, which is called the sovereign (Hobbes 2008, 119). This sovereign then gains legitimized political authority by protecting the human beings from their own barbaric nature (Hobbes 2008, 116). In Hobbes’ scenario, only two possibilities exist: chaos or order. As humans rationally prefer order to chaos, the establishment of this order legitimizes the sovereign. Therefore, the sovereign cannot be held accountable for what directly leads to an absolute state. The absolutism of Hobbes’ sovereign denies any rights of humans against the state (Dyzenhaus 1997, 89).
Similarly, John Locke believes in a certain status naturalis, which is characterized by several deficits. He stresses, “the state of nature has a law of nature to govern it” (Locke 1948, 5). But, in contrast to Thomas Hobbes, John Locke assumes that political authority already exists in the state of human nature. Rawls describes Locke’s equal distribution of political authority as “a state of equal right, all being kings” (Rawls 2007, 129). According to Locke’s perspective, legitimacy is created by the correct way of transforming the individual political authority into political power.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the context for the research, establishing that legitimacy is the broader concept behind democracy and posing the question of whether this concept can be applied to global governance.
1. Theoretical background: Explores the foundations of legitimacy theory through the works of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Kant, and addresses the changing role of the nation-state in the 21st century.
2. Global Legitimacy: Analyzes why global governance institutions are needed and identifies the mechanisms for achieving legitimacy in the absence of a global state.
3. Political legitimacy and the WTO: Uses the World Trade Organization as a case study to demonstrate the difficulties of legitimizing global organizations, focusing on state consent and the impact on developing countries.
4. How to solve the problem?: Discusses potential resolutions, including discursive environments and procedural fairness, to address the legitimacy challenges facing global governance.
Keywords
Legitimacy, Nation-state, Global Governance, Democracy, World Trade Organization, WTO, Social Contract, Political Authority, State Consent, International Relations, Sovereignty, Political Legitimacy, Accountability, Globalization, Discursive Environment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper explores the historical concept of political legitimacy and evaluates its current relevance and applicability to global decision-making organizations.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the evolution of social contract theory, the challenges of global governance, the legitimacy deficits of the WTO, and the search for new legitimizing standards.
What is the main research question?
The research asks how the concept of political legitimacy, historically tied to the nation-state, can be reconsidered and applied to an international and global framework.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The work employs a literature-based theoretical analysis, drawing on political philosophy and international relations theory, supported by a case study of the WTO.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the transition of legitimacy theories from Hobbes to Kant, the shift toward global governance, and the practical difficulties of legitimizing the WTO through state consent.
How would you characterize this work with keywords?
It is characterized by terms such as legitimacy, global governance, social contract, sovereignty, and international political order.
Why is the World Trade Organization used as an example?
The WTO serves as an exemplary global institution whose decision-making processes and impacts on member states clearly illustrate the limitations of current state-consent-based legitimacy models.
What is the author's final conclusion regarding global legitimacy?
The author concludes that the global legitimacy problem remains unresolved and suggests that future solutions likely lie in a discursive environment focused on procedural fairness and the protection of universal values.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Michaela Böhme (Autor:in), 2011, Do we need global legitimacy?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/210361
