TH, as a state builder, prefers a government more legitimate to the people as opposed to more loyal to yourself

TH, as a state builder, prefers a government more legitimate to the people as opposed to more loyal to yourself

Date set
April 3, 2026
Tournament
Yale
Topics
IR
Background slide

When rebuilding a state and establishing a new government, a statebuilder, ie the outside power helping re-establish governance in the country, has two conflicting goals: appointing a leader legitimate to the people yet loyal to the builder. The statebuilder’s dilemma is the idea that these goals directly trade off and a regime can only be truly legitimate or truly loyal.