Which one of the following is not a source of political legitimacy?

Political legitimacy refers to the justification of a regime's right to rule and the moral obligation of citizens to obey its laws. Major sources of legitimacy include consent, which can be actual or hypothetical as seen in social contract traditions. Rational prudence serves as a source when citizens calculate that power-sharing or obedience leads to better outcomes and stability. Public reason is also a critical source, particularly in liberal theories where legitimacy depends on policies being reasonable and justifiable to all citizens. In contrast, the 'political will of the ruler' represents arbitrary power or coercion rather than a recognized source of legitimacy. While Max Weber identifies 'charismatic' authority based on a leader's qualities, this is distinct from the mere 'will' of a ruler, which lacks the normative or descriptive justification required for legitimacy. Therefore, the ruler's will alone does not constitute a source of political legitimacy.

Sources

1. [1] Democratic Politics-II. Political Science-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Power-sharing > Why power sharing is desirable? > p. 6