Question

Three top military generals overthrow the country’s government. The generals are very popular with the citizens, who cheer by the thousands in streets across the county.

a) Illegitimate, because military intervention is never justified.
b) Legitimate, as the generals have widespread citizen support.
c) Illegitimate, as it violates democratic principles.
d) Legitimate, if the government was corrupt and ineffective.

Answer 1

The legitimacy of a government depends on the perception of its citizens and can be subjective. It is considered legitimate if the government was corrupt and ineffective, and has widespread citizen support. However, it can also be seen as illegitimate if it violates democratic principles or if military intervention is never justified.

Step-by-step explanation:

The legitimacy of a government can be subjective and depend on the perspective of the citizens. In this case, the military generals overthrowing the government can be considered legitimate if the government was corrupt and ineffective, and if they have widespread citizen support. However, it can also be seen as illegitimate if it violates democratic principles or if military intervention is never justified. Ultimately, the legitimacy of a government rests on the perception of its citizens.