Warnings of a crisis in government authority have grown frequent and now come from many quarters. The most fundamental causes of a weakening of authority are the loss of conviction by those in positions of authority and the appearance of doubt in the public mind as to whether those in authority have the right to their social positions—in other words, the loss of legitimacy.

Government and PoliticsGovernment Power
Other Independent Review articles by Sigmund Knag
Fall 1998 Let’s Toss for It: A Surprising Curb on Political Greed
Fall 1996 The War Against Authority: From the Crisis of Legitimacy to a New Social Contract