--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society gives legitimacy and society can…" description: "\"Society gives legitimacy and society can take it away.\" — Willis Harman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/willis-harman-38738_community_society-gives-legitimacy-and-society-can_119043.png" --- # Society gives legitimacy and society can take it away. ![“Society gives legitimacy and society can take it away.” quote by Willis Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/willis-harman-38738_community_society-gives-legitimacy-and-society-can_119043.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/willis-harman-38738_community_society-gives-legitimacy-and-society-can_119043.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/willis-harman-38738_community_society-gives-legitimacy-and-society-can_119043.png) > “Society gives legitimacy and society can take it away.” [Willis Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-harman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social acceptance grants power; loss of that acceptance can strip it away. **In simple terms:** Legitimacy depends on collective approval. Key Takeaway Authority is socially constructed. Themes Society Legitimacy Power Collective judgment Mood Reflective Cautious Type Sociological Analytical When to use this quote - Public figures facing scandal - Brands losing consumer trust Key Concepts Social contract Reputation Practical Applications - Maintain transparency - Engage community feedback Questions to Reflect On - How can one rebuild legitimacy after loss? - What mechanisms protect against sudden legitimacy erosion? A Different Perspective Some institutions retain power despite losing popular support through coercion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [“Only willing acceptance gives legitimacy for anything to exist permanently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/only-willing-acceptance-gives-legitimacy-for-anything-to-exist/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [It is unfortunately none too well understood that, just as the State has no money of its own, so it has no power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/it-is-unfortunately-none-too-well-understood-that-just-as-the-state-2/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [Any society which gives lip-service to the idea of equal opportunity is going to generate jealousy of others who are better off than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brunner/any-society-which-gives-lip-service-to-the-idea-of-equal-opportunity/) [John Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brunner/) > [A Society that gives to one class all the opportunities for leisure and to another all the burdens of work condemns both classes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/a-society-that-gives-to-one-class-all-the-opportunities-for-leisure-2/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Death is always around the corner, but often our society gives it inordinate help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/death-is-always-around-the-corner-but-often-our-society-gives-it/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [A society that gives to one class all the opportunities for leisure, and to another all the burdens of work, dooms both classes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/a-society-that-gives-to-one-class-all-the-opportunities-for-leisure/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Karabakh conflict has a strong influence on the political climate both in Azerbaijan and Armenia. 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