The Legitimacy Mechanism of Symbolic Structures and Institutional Models

This project investigates the foundational role of symbolic structures in institutional legitimacy and evolution. While classical theories emphasize procedural rationality or utility-based legitimacy, this study foregrounds the symbolic dimension—myths, rituals, identities, and representations—as a primary source of institutional authority, coherence, and resilience. The paper outlines three core mechanisms of symbolic legitimacy: Narrative Compression – reducing sociopolitical complexity through foundational stories and myths; Symbolic Binding – generating emotional and identity-based cohesion; Structural Anchoring – embedding symbols into legal, architectural, and procedural frameworks. Using comparative case studies—Christian monarchy in medieval Europe, imperial rites in East Asia, and modern constitutional iconography—the research traces how symbols evolve from expressive forms into structural constraints, shaping behavior, authority, and reform capacity. It concludes by outlining a typology of symbolic erosion and offering a framework for reconstructing legitimacy in failing institutional contexts.