Illegitimization

Illegitimization is the act or process of declaring or rendering something illegitimate. This can apply to a person, an idea, a practice, or an institution. It involves removing legitimacy, often through social, political, or legal means. The process seeks to undermine credibility, challenge authority, or invalidate claims by stripping them of their perceived rightfulness or acceptance. The consequences of illegitimization range from social ostracism to the collapse of entire systems. It is a powerful tool used in debates, conflicts, and revolutions to shape perceptions and control narratives. This process often involves questioning the origins, motivations, or inherent values of the target, casting doubt on their ethical standing and their alignment with established norms. The outcome aimed for is to make the target unacceptable or invalid. The strategy to achieve illegitimization often uses deception, twisting the truth and the spreading of false or misleading information, and can cause lasting harm.

Illegitimization meaning with examples

• Following the leaked documents, the corporation faced an orchestrated campaign aiming at the complete illegitimization of its environmental safety reports. Activists and competitors alike shared information, and criticized the company's practices and the data it provided, weakening its public image, investment possibilities, and government contracts. The scandal severely hampered their operations, forcing the company to spend a fortune in the press.
• The political leader's opponents embarked on a smear campaign focused on the illegitimization of his family's business dealings and the potential for conflicts of interest. They released damaging information intended to portray his leadership as corrupt, thereby undermining support. News outlets picked up and shared the information and it eventually prompted an investigation, which in turn furthered the process of delegitimizing his position.
• During the cultural revolution, many historical figures and traditional artistic styles underwent an intentional process of illegitimization by the regime. Certain practices were considered 'bourgeois' or 'counter-revolutionary'. The aim was to create a new cultural identity built upon new values, and the process involved destruction of cultural artifacts, and erasing history, ensuring a complete societal shift and restructuring.
• The movement advocating for social justice strategically employed the illegitimization of systemic discrimination by exposing the inequalities. They organized campaigns to increase public awareness of biases within institutions. The goal was to demonstrate its damaging effects on society as a whole to shift attitudes, and create a moral condemnation of the discriminatory practices, aiming to make them unpalatable to a broad audience.