--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is called the “principle of…" description: "\"“This is called the “principle of legitimacy,” and legitimacy is based on three things. First of all, the people who are asked to obey authority have t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg" --- # This is called the “principle of legitimacy,” and… ![“This is called the “principle of legitimacy,” and legitimacy is based on three things. First of all, the people who are asked to obey authority have to feel like they have a voice—that if they speak up, they will be heard. Second, the law has to be predictable. There has to be a reasonable…” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg) > ““This is called the “principle of legitimacy,” and legitimacy is based on three things. First of all, the people who are asked to obey authority have to feel like they have a voice—that if they speak up, they will be heard. Second, the law has to be predictable. There has to be a reasonable expectation that the rules tomorrow are going to be roughly the same as the rules today. And third, the authority has to be fair. It can’t treat one group differently from another.”” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legitimacy of authority depends on voice, predictability, and fairness, ensuring people accept rules. **In simple terms:** Authority works when people feel heard, rules stay steady, and treatment is equal. Key Takeaway Ensure voice, consistency, and fairness in leadership. Themes authority legitimacy fairness trust governance Mood thoughtful analytical Type explanatory philosophical When to use this quote - workplace management - government policy - community organizing - education administration - legal reform Key Concepts social contract procedural justice political theory Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations strengthen each legitimacy pillar? - What happens when fairness is perceived as lacking? A Different Perspective Legitimacy can erode if any pillar is weak, leading to resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy/) ## Related quotes > [“...legitimacy is based on three things. First of all, the people who are asked to obey authority have to feel like they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/legitimacy-is-based-on-three-things-first-of-all-the-people-who-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters - first and foremost - how they behave. This is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-people-in-authority-want-the-rest-of-us-to-behave-it-matters-2/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters—first and foremost—how they behave. This is called the “principle of legitimacy,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-people-in-authority-want-the-rest-of-us-to-behave-it-matters/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“So why don’t Americans cheat? Because they think that their system is legitimate. People accept authority when they see that it treats everyone equally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/so-why-don-t-americans-cheat-because-they-think-that-their-system-is/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Unless the power of the corporation can be organized on an accepted principle of legitimacy, it will be taken over by a Central government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/unless-the-power-of-the-corporation-can-be-organized-on-an-accepted/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Sycophancy toward those who hold power is a fact in every regime, and especially in a democracy, where, unlike tyranny, there is an accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/sycophancy-toward-those-who-hold-power-is-a-fact-in-every-regime-and/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and supremacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/furthermore-in-this-one-church-of-christ-no-man-can-be-or-remain-who/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [“The governing authorities are understood to be ordained by God. We are not permitted to obey only those authorities that we consider to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-governing-authorities-are-understood-to-be-ordained-by-god-we-are/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [Authority and power are two different things: power is the force by means of which you can oblige others to obey you. Authority is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/authority-and-power-are-two-different-things-power-is-the-force-by/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [You must learn to follow privately the Lord's bidding: not to speak empty words, not to adorn yourself, always to obey authority, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-colliander/you-must-learn-to-follow-privately-the-lord-s-bidding-not-to-speak/) [Tito Colliander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-colliander/) > [For them that must obey authority/That they do not respect in any degree/Who despise their jobs, their destinies/Speak jealously of them that are free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/for-them-that-must-obey-authority-that-they-do-not-respect-in-any/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“in the field of ethics, of moral knowledge, it was approached by Kant with his principle of autonomy. This principle expresses his realization that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/in-the-field-of-ethics-of-moral-knowledge-it-was-approached-by-kant/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“The excessive use of force creates legitimacy problems, and force without legitimacy leads to defiance, not submission.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-excessive-use-of-force-creates-legitimacy-problems-and-force/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Karabakh conflict has a strong influence on the political climate both in Azerbaijan and Armenia. It is obvious, too, that the Azerbaijani leadership can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/karabakh-conflict-has-a-strong-influence-on-the-political-climate/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“The scholars who research happiness suggest that more money stops making people happier at a family income of around seventy-five thousand dollars a year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-scholars-who-research-happiness-suggest-that-more-money-stops/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [We need to be clear when we venerate entrepreneurs what we are venerating.They are not moral leaders. If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [A handicap is like trying to race and you have a ten pound weight stuck to your waist. That is a handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/a-handicap-is-like-trying-to-race-and-you-have-a-ten-pound-weight/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“People are ruined by challenged economic lives. But they are ruined by wealth as well because they lose their ambition and they lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-ruined-by-challenged-economic-lives-but-they-are-ruined-by/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The single most important thing a city can do is provide a community where interesting, smart people want to live with their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-single-most-important-thing-a-city-can-do-is-provide-a-community/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ \[Norden\] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bombsight-he-could-drop-a-bomb/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The willingness to be self-critical in England is much greater than the willingness to be self-critical in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-willingness-to-be-self-critical-in-england-is-much-greater-than/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The conventional explanation for Jewish success, of course, is that Jews come from a literate, intellectual culture. They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Explore all 647 Malcolm Gladwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More Legitimacy quotes > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Karabakh conflict has a strong influence on the political climate both in Azerbaijan and Armenia. It is obvious, too, that the Azerbaijani leadership can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/karabakh-conflict-has-a-strong-influence-on-the-political-climate/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [A nation has the right to defend itself, but when it comes to the broader issue of peace and security, the legitimacy rests only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/a-nation-has-the-right-to-defend-itself-but-when-it-comes-to-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Self-ruled Taiwan cannot be expected to accept such an affront to the legitimacy of its government and the self-determination of the Taiwanese people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/self-ruled-taiwan-cannot-be-expected-to-accept-such-an-affront-to-the/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Strong states and blocs of strong states are the only source of power and legitimacy capable of driving an international agenda in today's world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/strong-states-and-blocs-of-strong-states-are-the-only-source-of-power/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I'm not going to question Brock's legitimacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mir/i-m-not-going-to-question-brock-s-legitimacy/) [Frank Mir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mir/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-accept-the-legitimacy-of-continued-israeli/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Society gives legitimacy and society can take it away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-harman/society-gives-legitimacy-and-society-can-take-it-away/) [Willis Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-harman/) > [There is one great advantage to being an academic economist in France: here, economists are not highly respected in the academic and intellectual world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/there-is-one-great-advantage-to-being-an-academic-economist-in-france/) [Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/) > [Because war and preparations for war have acquired legitimacy, and because of the tremendous proliferation of arms through production and export, so that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alva-myrdal/because-war-and-preparations-for-war-have-acquired-legitimacy-and/) [Alva Myrdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alva-myrdal/) > [The Declaration of Independence has been called, with some justice, the most revolutionary document in human history, in that it placed the individual person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bock/the-declaration-of-independence-has-been-called-with-some-justice-the/) Alan Bock > [The legitimacy of coercive acts in a democracy arises from the process by which they are justified and by the degree to which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-legitimacy-of-coercive-acts-in-a-democracy-arises-from-the/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [Until the culture recognizes the legitimacy of growing down, each person in the culture struggles blindly to make sense of the darkness that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/until-the-culture-recognizes-the-legitimacy-of-growing-down-each/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Despite its enormous power and wealth, China's ruling elite remains absolutely petrified that the free flow of information will undermine its political legitimacy, particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lantos/despite-its-enormous-power-and-wealth-china-s-ruling-elite-remains/) [Tom Lantos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lantos/) [Browse all 233 Legitimacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is called the “principle of legitimacy,” and legitimacy is based on three things. First of all, the people who are asked to obey authority have to feel like they have a voice—that if they speak up, they will be heard. Second, the law has to be predictable. There has to be a reasonable expectation that the rules tomorrow are going to be roughly the same as the rules today. And third, the authority has to be fair. It can’t treat one group differently from another.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Gladwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitimacy-and-legitimacy-is-based-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Legitimacy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitimacy-and-legitimacy-is-based-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ace/malcolm-gladwell-348_legitimacy_this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitima_216589.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is called the “principle of legitimacy,” and legitimacy is based on three things. First of all, the…” — Malcolm Gladwell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Malcolm Gladwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This is called the “principle of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitimacy-and-legitimacy-is-based-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/this-is-called-the-principle-of-legitimacy-and-legitimacy-is-based-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```