Cited by 729Political Conflict and GovernancePolitical Theory and DemocracyPolicing Practices and Perceptions

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Conceptualizing Legitimacy, Measuring Legitimating Beliefs

Levi, Margaret, Sacks, Audrey, Tyler, Tom·2009·American Behavioral Scientist

DOI 10.1177/0002764209338797

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Abstract

Legitimacy is a concept meant to capture the beliefs that bolster willing obedience. The authors model legitimacy as a sense of obligation or willingness to obey authorities (value-based legitimacy) that then translates into actual compliance with governmental regulations and laws (behavioral legitimacy). The focus is on the factors that elicit this sense of obligation and willingness to comply in a way that supports rational-legal authority. The framework posits that legitimacy has two antecedent conditions: trustworthiness of government and procedural justice. Using African survey data, the authors model the relationship between the existence of a relatively effective, fair, and trustworthy government and beliefs that government deserves deference to its rules. The authors find considerable evidence of a link between the extent of the trustworthiness of government and procedural justice and citizens’ willingness to defer to the police, courts, and tax department in a wide range of African societies.

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Authors: Levi, M., Sacks, A., & Tyler, T.
Affiliations: University of Washington (US)
New York University (US)
Corresponding author: Levi, Margaret
ORCID: Levi, Margaret
Tyler, Tom
Venue: American Behavioral Scientist
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2009-10-12
Volume: 53
Issue: 3
Pages: 354-375
ISSN: 0002-7642 (ISSN-L)
1552-3381
DOI: 10.1177/0002764209338797
OpenAlex: W2094450202
Semantic Scholar: 05680fac7340b7c3564044442ab6026033bab450
Cited by: 729
References: 73
Citations by year: 2026: 58 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 87 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 79 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 82 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 18
FWCI: 37.88
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: American Behavioral Scientist (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Political Conflict and Governance
Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Political Theory and Democracy
Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Policing Practices and Perceptions
Keywords: legitimacy, legal compliance, rational-legal authority, procedural justice, deference to authority, African societies, public trust in government

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Conceptualizing Legitimacy, Measuring Legitimating Beliefs

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