Challenging the State’s Claim to Authority

Abstract The state’s authority involves elements of legitimacy and power. A rich body of literature addresses the former, de jure aspect of authority. This article explores the latter, de facto aspect, and its relationship to de jure . We argue that to buttress the extensive normative claims that de jure authority poses, de facto authority demands enormous political power. This is the power to rule. This power is so great that the state cannot demonstrate having it. Hence, it merely claims to rule. In turn, other actors can challenge this claim. To reassert its claim to rule—and its authority—in light of a challenge, the state must respond. We analyze each element of this model—claiming, challenging, and responding—using real-life examples. Doing so, we illuminate the relationship between the two aspects of authority. We also suggest that authority is a more dynamic phenomenon than is currently understood.