On Legitimacy:

[frigidmagi]

Let us discuss what makes a state/government legitimate. Hell let us discuss what is legitimacy in the sense of national governments?

Is the state seperate from it's government?

When is it right to resort to violent means to overthrow your government?

What if that government is a democracy?

What if it's a popular democratic government?

[The Minx]

First: yes the state and government are two separate things, the government takes responsibility for running certain functions of state on behalf of the sovereign authority behind that state (people, monarch, sky-pixie or whatever).

The justification for overthrow of government is IMHO when all the following conditions hold:

• The government either fails to meet its obligations to the sovereign entity and/or when it becomes unbearably repressive.
• It is impossible to change with non-violent means.
• The damage caused by such upheaval is less than the damage caused by allowing the government to continue.

In other words, there is a "minimum application of force" and "path of minimum harm" criteria for any one who would force change. This applies whether or not the government is democratic.