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Ronald Reagan. 1

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Ronald Reagan’s speech and political theories
There are numerous political communication concepts that exist in the political science
field of study which can all be used in the analysis of different works that have been brought
forth by political leaders either in their speeches or other forms of written works. This paper
seeks to analyze the annunciation of candidacy reelection speech by the fortieth president of
America Ronald William Reagan based on the political legitimacy concept.
Political legitimacy concept
Although there are many political communication theories, this paper examines the
political legitimacy theory, which is basically a virtue of political institutions and the decisions
pertaining laws and policies of candidates of political offices that are formulated in these
political institutions. The term legitimacy refers to acceptance or recognition of a certain
authority not only to its subjects but also to other relevant and external authorities as well.
Political legitimacy is associated with the justification of coercive power and creation of
a political authority, authority in this case being the ability to rule or issue commands, and could
be extended to enforcing these commands using coercive power. Political legitimacy influences
obligation to obey political authority. Although some people may argue that a legitimate political

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authority does not determine the willingness to obey commands, it is relevant that an accepted
authority shall have most of the people adhering to its political commands.
To determine these beliefs on political authority and political obligations, political
legitimacy is interpreted descriptively. Different sociologists such as Max Weber evaluated this
theory of political communication as being based on beliefs, since the whole idea of a political
regime legitimacy is based on the faith that people have held in regard to that regime. The
willingness to oblige to the political regime is also based on belief. He also goes ahead to explain
that the acceptance of an authority and the need to obey its commands is influenced by tradition,
charismatic leaders or just the trust of an authority’s legality.
When evaluated according to the normative concept, political legitimacy is defined as the
acceptance and justification of a relevant authority or political regime with only the possibility of
political obligation but not a guarantee as in the descriptive concept of Max Weber. In this
concept, the legitimacy of a political authority and the possibility of an obligation to their
political commands depends on the justification of the coercive political power.
This concept, therefore, argues that an authority can be effective, even when it is not
legitimate and on the other hand, a legitimate authority can issue commands, which the subjects
are not obliged to obey (Fernando, & Lawrence, 2014). This basically means that unlike in the
descriptive concept where legitimacy goes hand in hand with political obligation, the normative
concept views legitimacy and political obligation as separate entities, with legitimacy being
linked to justice or justification of the political power a certain authority applies.
Political legitimacy normative concept has been analyzed severally in attempt to
determine the distinction between legitimacy and justice and evaluate the relationship between

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Surname 1 Student Name Course Tutor Date Ronald Reagan’s speech and political theories There are numerous political communication concepts that exist in the political science field of study which can all be used in the analysis of different works that have been brought forth by political leaders either in their speeches or other forms of written works. This paper seeks to analyze the annunciation of candidacy reelection speech by the fortieth president of America Ronald William Reagan based on the political legitimacy concept. Political legitimacy concept Although there are many political communication theories, this paper examines the political legitimacy theory, which is basically a virtue of political institutions and the decisions pertaining laws and policies of candidates of political offices that are formulated in these political institutions. The term legitimacy refers to acceptance or recognition of a certain authority not only to its subjects but also to other relevant and external authorities as well. Political legitimacy is associated with the justification of coercive power and creation of a political authority, authority in this case being the ability to rule or issue commands, and could be extended to enforcing these commands using coercive power. Political legitimacy influences obligation to obey political authority. Although some people may argue that a legitimate political Surname 2 authority does not determine the willingness to obey commands, it is rele ...
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