The state, or quality, of being legitimate, or in conformity with law; hence, the condition of having been lawfully begotten, or born in wedlock.

a government that has the moral authority to govern. This moral authority may be derived from lawful transfer of power, from the gods or tradition. Manor: an agricultural estate under the control of a single individual or lord. Manorialism: [sometimes referred to as the seignorial system] the system by which the lord exploited the serfs or tenants who worked his estate. Mensheviks Mercantilism Mythopoeic Thought Nation: a form of imagined community in which the members of the community imagine themselves to share a common history and culture. A nation may or may not associated with a particular state. Nationalism

the right to rule on the basis of recognized principles.

the degree to which an action, process, actor or institution is perceived as having legal, moral or ethical authority and consequently whether it should be recognized or dealt with. In situations of civil war and insurgency, contested legitimacy may be at the heart of the conflict. Legitimization refers to an action or process that is perceived as granting legal or moral status to another actor or institution.