THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CHANGES IN POLITICAL LEGITIMACY MECHANISMS IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47390/ydif-y2026v2i20/n14Keywords:
Political legitimacy, digital transformation, e-government, algorithmic governance, Input-Output-Throughput model, Max Weber typology, black box problem, digital divide, civic participation.Abstract
This thesis provides a theoretical and conceptual analysis of the transformational impact of digital technologies and e-governance tools on the mechanisms of political legitimacy. By synthesizing Max Weber’s typology of authority, David Beetham’s normative-empirical model, and Fritz Scharpf and Vivien Schmidt’s Input-Output-Throughput framework, the study comparatively examines traditional and digital legitimacy mechanisms. The findings reveal that digitalization is fundamentally ambivalent (presenting both opportunities and risks)—while it enhances civic participation and public service efficiency, it simultaneously introduces new systemic vulnerabilities such as algorithmic opacity (the "black box" problem) and information manipulation.
References
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5. Margetts, H., John, P., Hale, S., & Yasseri, T. (2015). Political Turbulence: How Social Media Shape Collective Action. Princeton University Press.
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