AP Comparative Government and Politics Flashcards: Sustaining Legitimacy
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 14 cards to help you master important concepts.
What are the primary ways governments maintain legitimacy?
Governments maintain legitimacy through processes like policy effectiveness, political efficacy, tradition, charismatic leadership, and institutionalized laws.
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What are the primary ways governments maintain legitimacy?
Governments maintain legitimacy through processes like policy effectiveness, political efficacy, tradition, charismatic leadership, and institutionalized laws.
How does reducing government corruption affect legitimacy?
Reduced governmental corruption is a key factor that can reinforce and strengthen the legitimacy of a government.
A government devolves power to better represent a specific ethnic group in its own region. How might this enhance legitimacy?
This can enhance legitimacy by allowing better representation of religious, ethnic, or minority groups and matching policies to local needs.
What is devolution in the context of government legitimacy?
Devolution is the delegation of power to regional governments, which can either enhance or weaken the central government's legitimacy depending on its effects.
A charismatic leader wins an election, inspiring widespread public confidence. Which source of legitimacy is this an example of?
This is an example of charismatic leadership, which is one of the factors through which governments can maintain legitimacy.
A central government devolves power to a region, which then passes laws that contradict national policy. What is a potential negative outcome for legitimacy?
This can weaken legitimacy by making policy implementation more complicated and inefficient, and creating contradictory policies.
Besides devolution, what are the five key factors or processes governments use to maintain legitimacy?
Governments maintain legitimacy through policy effectiveness, political efficacy, tradition, charismatic leadership, and institutionalized laws.
What are three factors that can undermine a government's legitimacy?
An increase in corruption, reduced electoral competition, and serious problems like a poor economy or social conflicts can all undermine legitimacy.
How can devolution enhance a government's legitimacy?
Devolution can enhance legitimacy by promoting policy innovation, matching policies to local needs, increasing political participation, and allowing better representation for minority groups.
If a country's economy improves significantly under the current government, how is its legitimacy likely to be affected?
Strong economic development is a factor that can reinforce and strengthen a government's legitimacy.
What is the potential consequence of public questions about the integrity of election results?
Questions about election integrity can lead to protests that may weaken government legitimacy and any ongoing democratization processes.
After a contentious election, the losing party concedes and power is transferred without violence. How does this impact the political system's legitimacy?
A peaceful transfer of power is a process that reinforces the legitimacy of the government and the political system.
Identify three factors that can reinforce a government's legitimacy.
Legitimacy can be reinforced by the peaceful resolution of conflicts, peaceful transfers of power, reduced governmental corruption, and economic development.
In what ways might devolution weaken a government's legitimacy?
Devolution can weaken legitimacy by creating contradictory policies, making implementation inefficient, increasing inequality between regions, and exacerbating ethnic or local tensions.