ブックタイトル佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

概要

佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

be taken at any level toward economic growth and poverty reduction, no progresswill be made.LegitimacyIn order for a country to effectively and permanently develop, however, an adequatedegree of legitimacy is needed. In states where absolute authority has been achieved,either fully or to some extent, those in power will still need to remain cautious as thedanger of mutiny from below is ever-present. Only a legitimate state will be able tosecure lasting stability and survival. Legitimacy is obtained by using state power forthe public good: ultimately the original reason why states were established. By actingin the public interest, the state will obtain moral authority in the eyes of its citizensand thereby forestall structural threats to its existence. As such, it will be able toimplement efficient policies that foster economic growth, enhance the quality of life forits population and thereby reduce the level of poverty in its territory.In the long run, by providing public goods and formal institutions that fosterdevelopment, such as access to well-regulated markets, secure property rights,universal health care and education, the norms and beliefs (informal institutions)that people hold will change. As Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi remarkedin 2005,‘the poor must have the sense that they themselves can shape their ownfuture’86 . If their reality is characterized by hunger, violence and despair, their hopesand expectations for future change will remain low. If, however, they are lifted outof their desperate daily struggle for survival and are given opportunities to developthemselves, revolutionary changes will be underway.Poverty reduction and increased legitimacy are thus two processes that run parallelto each other and are mutually reinforcing. If a state enjoys legitimacy, its citizens65886 Aung San Suu Kyi.“Freedom, Development and Human Worth”. Journal of Democracy 6.2, 1995, pp.11-19.