A Comparative Study on the Concept of Political Legitimacy in Imam Khomeini and Jurgen Habermas's Thoughts

Abstract

Political legitimacy is one of the basic and major concepts of political science especially political thought. Different views of the meaning and the concept of political legitimacy go back to the roots of political legitimacy. In this article by using a comparative style, the author will attempt to compare the concept of political legitimacy in Imam Khomeini and Jurgen Habermas's thoughts. Imam Khomeini and Jurgen Habermas have their special definitions for the concept of political legitimacy which are not similar to one another. Imam Khomeini's thought was based on religious ideas in terms of the Quran, while Habermas's thought has been shaped in western cultures which criticize the contemporary capitalist society. It is no wonder that in some cases they have common views which are the subject of this article.