The Legitimacy of Governments

We rarely question governments when life feels stable. Laws are followed, taxes are paid, and authority is accepted almost automatically. But why? What actually gives a government the right to rule? Is legitimacy rooted in morality, effectiveness, force... or simply belief? And if that belief were to disappear, would governments still hold power, or would their authority collapse overnight? This paper challenges the assumption that governments are inherently legitimate, arguing instead that they exist only as long as people believe in them, and explores what that means for governance, stability, and society itself.