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Difficulty: EasyLegitimacy: Meaning, Determinants, and Maintenance

Which of the following factors primarily enhances political legitimacy through popular participation and civic consent in a modern democratic state?

  1. The conduct of periodic free and fair electionsAnswer
  2. B
    The deployment of armed forces to enforce governmental policies
  3. C
    The executive suppression of opposition political parties
  4. D
    The unilateral extension of executive tenure without constitutional amendment

Answer

The conduct of periodic free and fair elections primarily enhances political legitimacy by grounding government authority in the voluntary consent of the governed.
Conducting periodic free and fair elections ensures that government authority is derived from popular sovereignty, granting the state public trust and moral rightfulness to govern.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core determinant of political legitimacy in a democratic system.
Political legitimacy relies on citizens acknowledging the government's rightful authority to rule.
Popular participation through genuine electoral processes yields voluntary allegiance and widespread acceptance.

Key Concept

Political Legitimacy and Determinants
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Topics

Legitimacy: Meaning, Determinants, and Maintenance

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