Illegitimacy And Violence Essay

540 Words2 Pages

Once we understand what violence is the question that is raised is how does one decide the difference between a legitimate and an illegitimate act of violence? Since violence is bringing harm to others whether that is individuals, property or organizations why would violence be considered permissible or legitimate on some occasions but not others? Universally, the idea of legitimacy is “that something is right, proper, or appropriate within the bounds of a system of norms, values, or beliefs” (Schoon 779). Since norms and values are changeable depending on the culture, legitimacy can be “shaped by the availability of alternatives to that which is being evaluated” (780). While legitimacy is not solely based on cultural norms and values, it is also based …show more content…

Seeing that it is easier to decide illegitimacy based on our morals. However, because of this variability illegitimacy is evaluated on a relative scale, the illegitimacy is shaped by the degree that the violence can be justified by our morals and values. Illegitimacy centralizes on the forms of the violence and the status of its actors. The purpose of having this distinction between legitimate and illegitimate violence is to express the finality of the law. It is a “reassertion of a hegemony that would permit no rival claim to the legitimate exercise of political violence” (Boyd 159). By law violence by anyone excepts the state is considered illegitimate; this is known as the monopoly on violence and will be discussed later. So, under the law, it would appear as if there is no legitimacy to violence by non-sate actors. The exception to this rule is the ability to direct force against an aggressor as they bear the liability they bring upon themselves through their unjust actions. This use of violence is seen as necessary to prevent injury of equivalent magnitude (Finlay

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