A-Z of IR: K is for 'Kleptocracy' and L is for 'Legitimacy'
Inspired by the British Academy’s focus on Engaging the Public with Humanities and the Social Sciences (2023), in October 2024, Adrian Gallagher (Leeds) launched an A-Z in International Politics online and free of charge. This 26 part series over 26 weeks introduces key concepts such as A is for Anarchy, B for Balance of Power, C for Cooperation and so forth. They are released on Instagram (Prof_Politics), TikTok (Professor_Politics), LinkedIn, and YouTube (@ProfessorGallagher).
In the first few months alone, Instagram generated more than 38,000 views, 2000 interactions and 1200 followers, TikTok 22,243 views, YouTube over 1000 views, and LinkedIn around 10,000 views.
This week we look at the letters 'K' and 'L
K is for 'Kleptocracy'.
Kleptocracy refers to a government controlled by thieves, posing a direct threat to democracy, and exposes the dark side of globalisation.
Most of our possessions are made all over the world, revealing the complexities of modern day supply structures. International institutions and shell companies have been utilized in an era of deregulation by kleptocrats to sophon off money from countries.
Between 2009 and 2015, government officials in Malaysia allegedly siphoned off $4.5 billion to spend on luxuries and real estate in the West. This highlights the role democratic states play in enabling all of this. The UK government has been singled out as a soft touch, enabling Russian oligarchs to whitewash their money and images since 2015. The UK government tried to address this, but a recent report by Chatham House found that expensive lawyers hired by these kleptocrats defeat prosecutors or deter them.
These practices also go on in the West. A study on public contracts given out by the UK government during Covid 19 found 135 high-risk contracts given out, totaling over £15 billion. There are accusations of high level corruption in the UK, and predictions that this will increase in the US under Donald Trump.
Kleptocracy does immeasurable harm to the taxpayers throughout the world.
L is for 'Legitimacy'.
In 1999, NATO carried out airstrikes in Kosovo, killing around 500 civilians. The action brought an end to the threat of genocide and crimes against humanity posed by the Yugoslav army.
An independent commission was set up that found the bombing campaign was illegal but legitimate. How can this be?
In Ian Clark's study of international legitimacy, he asked us to consider that legitimacy sits in a hierarchical position above three norms: morality, law, and constitutionality. It is not synonymous with any of them, but draws its values from these through a process that involves power and consensus. This helps us understand the conclusion drawn by the independent commission. They are arguing that within this specific circumstance, morality trumped legality, because of the threat posed. Even though it was legal, it was legitimate. We need to consider the complex relationship between law, morality, constitutionality, power, and consensus. Once we grasp this, it helps us explain lots of what is going on around the world.
For example, why are the Taliban at COP 29? Are they really there to discuss climate change? Or is it that they're not recognised as the legitimate authority in Afghanistan and therefore cannot sit in the UN. They are taking part therefore, to create a legitimate narrative around themselves. If they can get the right people to recognise them, they tick the consensus box, which helps them tick the morality box.
Likewise, Putin shaking the hand of the UN Secretary General is an attempt to give himself legitimacy after being wanted by the International Criminal Court for the forcible trafficking of children from Ukraine to Russia.
There is much more to international politics than simple brute power. Legitimacy is one of the most important ideas as we try to explain what is going on on planet Earth.
Photo by Robert Stump on Unsplash
