User:M.olga.cisneros/sandbox

Resolution
When an actor loses legitimacy, the public no longer trusts the actor to maintain a social contract. Without the social contract, the natural rights of the public, such as life, liberty, and property, are in jeopardy. Therefore, it is usually in the interest of both the public and the actor to end the legitimation crisis.There are several ways in which to end a legitimation crisis, but there is currently no unified theory as for the best method. Although the actor could be replaced, as seen in many of the examples above and effectively ending the legitimation crisis, this section will focus on the conflict resolution of the crisis. In this situation, the actor that was seeking legitimacy before the crisis regains legitimacy.

An actor can regain legitimacy in two ways:
 * 1) Re-establish the base:  realigning the political actions to the widely accepted social values and norms. In 1956 in Montgomery, Alabama, the more than year-long Montgomery Bus Boycott eventually led to repeal of the local ordinance for bus segregation. In     this case, by realigning the laws to fit with public opinion, the government was able to regain legitimacy.
 * 2) Coerce legitimacy:  drawing on capital goods to create a "material source of power." In the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, the loss of government legitimacy led to an outbreak in genocide. One of the political factions, the Hutu, killed thousands of members of the Tutsi party. The RPF had to rely on the capital goods of the international community, in the form of weapons and money, and thus were able to regain control and legitimacy in Rwanda.

1950's through 1980's
In this time period, it was accepted by many political theorists that the United States was undergoing a crisis of legitimacy. Minorities in the United States began to question the legitimacy of the government because they felt they were being denied rights. The mindset was transferred into movements beginning in the Civil Rights Movement, which primarily involved African Americans and college students but eventually spread to a larger portion of the population. The United States government's reaction to the legitimation crisis of the late twentieth century shows that in a consolidated democracy, undergoing a legitimation crisis can strengthen legitimacy. In this case, the system adapted to the wants of the citizens and the United States re-established legitimacy. In the mid 1960's, the legitimacy of the United States government was challenged when citizens began to question the legality of the Vietnam War.

2000: Bush v. Gore reelection
In the United States 2000 presidential election, United States presidential election, 2000, Bush lost the popular vote but still won the electoral vote. Many United States citizens did not believe this was right. The legitimacy of the United States came into question after the Supreme Court Decision, Bush v. Gore. While some believe the legitimacy of the presidency came into question, others believe the legitimacy of the court was jeopardized after the decision was released In the aftermath of the decision, six hundred and seventy five law professors argued against the decision in The New York Times.

International Crises of Legitimacy
The implications of an international crisis of legitimacy usually reach further than domestic crises, given that the actors have power over several different countries. International crises can threaten the stability between countries, increasing the probability for conflict.

The European Union
The European Union (E.U.) is a governing body over 28 European countries. The E.U. does not have complete legitimacy over the citizens of the 28 countries given that it only governs in the realm of politics and economics. Additionally, the E.U. does not operate under majority rule meaning any one country can veto laws. The E.U. suffered a legitimation crisis when it attempted to pass a constitution which failed in the French European Constitution referendum, 2005.

The United States
During the Cold War era, most European Countries respected the authority of the United States as an international leader. Europeans accepted the United States as the primary defender against the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union fell, however, some scholars believe the United States was no longer needed by the Europeans for that purpose and therefore lost international legitimacy.