Approaches on political legitimacy in classical Western and Islamic thought: A comparative study

The legitimacy of political power is one of the main problems of politics. The fact that word of legitimacy which is connected with law in Eastern and Western languages deepens the issue. In this thesis, it has been shown that legitimacy is not only established once but it is continuously established. In this context, classical and modern theories of legitimacy are explained. In this study the ideas of Maverdi, Gazzali, Nizamülmülk and İbn Hazm are examined in Islamic thought. On the other hand in Western thought the ideas of John of Salisbury, Thomas Aquinas and Marsilius of Padua are examined. Both ideas of Easter and Western thinkers are examined and it is revealed that they accept constituent legitimacy in practice for stability, security and peace although they search for its continuity. It is seen that both thinkers who think with medieval notions can not imagine the absense of any authority and because of that they shape their theories in accordance with that. It is observed that they accept the actual situation, although it is contrary to their theories. The tension between religious and political authorities is reflected in their works. The study was concluded by taking this into consideration.