Principal Instruments of Political Legitimacy: A Comparative Evaluation Across Democratic and Authoritarian Regimes Introduction Political legitimacy refers to the recognized right of a governing authority to rule and the public’s acceptance of that authority as rightful, proper, and binding. As Max Weber famously outlined, legitimacy is the foundation that differentiates mere coercion or domination from … Continue reading What are the principal instruments employed by the state to secure political legitimacy? Evaluate these tools in relation to both democratic and authoritarian regimes.