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All 11 Flashcards — International legitimacy
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Question
What is international legitimacy?
Answer
Whether other states and the wider world accept a government or action as rightful — the outside face of legitimacy.
Question
What builds international legitimacy?
Answer
Following international law, acting through the UN (especially with Security Council authorisation), and recognition by other states.
Question
Why does an ACTION need international legitimacy?
Answer
A war or intervention is far more widely accepted if it is UN-authorised and lawful; without that it is seen as illegitimate.
Question
What is the strongest source of legitimacy for an action?
Answer
UN Security Council authorisation — it marks an action as rightful in the eyes of the world.
Question
Why is the 2003 Iraq war a good example?
Answer
It went ahead without clear UN authorisation, so much of the world saw it as illegitimate — unlike the UN-backed 1991 Gulf War.
Question
How can the same kind of action be legitimate or not?
Answer
It depends on UN backing: the 1991 Gulf War had it (legitimate); the 2003 Iraq war did not (illegitimate).
Question
Can a government have domestic but not international legitimacy?
Answer
Yes — its own people may accept it while other states do not, or the reverse.
Question
Can the powerful ignore international legitimacy?
Answer
They can act without it, but they pay a price in lost allies, support, cooperation and standing.
Question
Why does international legitimacy matter?
Answer
It wins allies and cooperation, makes action cheaper and more effective, and protects a state's standing.
Question
Domestic vs international legitimacy?
Answer
Domestic = accepted by a government's own people; international = accepted by other states and the world.
Question
What did the US and UK lose after 2003?
Answer
Support, allies and international standing, because the war lacked international legitimacy.
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Legitimacy
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