The attache links may be of assistance when researching the question "Do scales exist for measurement of perceived legitimacy of rules?"

http://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=+scales++for+perceived+measurement+of+rules&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=+scales++for+perceived+measurement+of+rules&hl=en&authuser=0&gws_rd=ssl#

Dear Ian. Thank you for considering this search direction and the search term which you constructed. The outcome, delivered by the search engine, is not going the direction which is needed. Meanwhile I made progress with the help of collegues from the area of criminology, Hough, Bradford & Jackson in UK. But I am still looking for alternative solutions.

Perhaps such a scale should span Weberian and Kafkarian bureaucracy as polar limits in rules legitimacy...

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/1515835/Bureaucrats-look-to-Kafka.html

m.hum.sagepub.com/content/60/7/1019.abstract

Article Weber and kafka: The rational and the enigmatic bureaucracy

Article Bureaucracy and Growth: A Cross-National Analysis of the Eec...

Very interesting idea. I will check it out.

It depends on what you mean by legitimacy. Of course as you know there are a loto of scales for the economic performance of various legal systems, but as a comparative lawyer I never found a scale for legitimacy. Anyway as long as you mean by legitimacy the perception that the rule is just then the best test would be a sociological measure of its self-compliance by the public without any need of interference by public powers.. I think that the american realists, as concerned as they were about the distinction between law-in-the-books/law-in-action should have developed a framework of this kind.

Yes. I mean that a rule is just. Thank you for the hint. I will dig into self-compliance.

Thank you so much for the hint.

Pew Trust has done incredible work in this area for many years. I suggest you check their research library.

Hi Michael

i have done a bit of work on the legitimacy of authorities and have attempted to measure scales that 

In my own field of tax non-compliance, there is a common measurement scale used to measure the asymmetry between the codified laws and regulations of the formal institutions and the norms, values and beliefs of informal institutions. As such, it differentiates between legality and social legitimacy. This is the 'tax morale' measurement scale', which used likert scales and could be quite easily adapted to measure other forms of legitimacy beyond tax morality, simply by altering the questions. I attach some papers for you.  

Great. Thank you so much. This sounds promising.

Dear Michael

Whenever we make a policy or rule, say to lower the disorder, we have scales to measure the Entropy (from present to what is destined). Similar scales are used used for linking better productivity with happiness (X-Y Theory or 9-5 Grid).

Should you want to discuss more on this, I could be reached on [email protected]

Dear Michael

Whenever we make a policy or rule, say to lower the disorder, we have scales to measure the Entropy (from present to what is destined). Similar scales are used used for linking better productivity with happiness (X-Y Theory or 9-5 Grid).

Should you want to discuss more on this, I could be reached on [email protected]

Dear Michael

Whenever we make a policy or rule, say to lower the disorder, we have scales to measure the Entropy (from present to what is destined). Similar scales are used used for linking better productivity with happiness (X-Y Theory or 9-5 Grid).

Should you want to discuss more on this, I could be reached on [email protected]

Let me think about it. It is an interesting idea to link the entropy discussion with this topic and finally happiness. Like: Am I happier with rules or without rules? Or: Am I happier or unhappier with stricter rules? Did you think into this direction?

Dear Michael

When enacting an act or framing a law, we see whether that law or policy is compliant to Nation's Constitution. It is simple Yes or No logic, while the policy thus framed can be measured in metrics for its performance/ perceived legitimacy. To frame a metrics at first place for 'legitimacy' is generally not done. Larger context of external constitution like UNO or or Multi Nation treaties can be drawn.  

Michael,

I've never tried to measure 'legitimacy', although I've done some work in 'trust'.  Perhaps voluntary compliance might be one indicator.  For instance, the US has a period during which alcohol consumption was illegal.  Voluntary compliance was almost non-existent and criminal organizations were capitalized as a result.  During the Vietnam War, the legitimacy of the conscription was heavily challenged.  So, depending on the environment, you might be able to develop indicators from voluntary compliance and/or enforcement costs.  

Dear William. Thank you for sharing your thinking and especially the examples. Voluntary compliance is a very interesting idea.

Dear Marco. Great thinking. Especially social disutility is a very interesting idea. We go somehow into this direction by measuring disutility of work rules.

Great question indeed! Imagine such a research in the 'Horn of Africa' context!!

Please help me: Horn of Africa context?

Dear Michael

the Horn is a Pandora's box for legitimacy but if you have the time and patience, you might try a recent book: de Waal, A, The Real Politics of the Horn of Africa: money, war, and the business of power. Polity Press, Malden, USA. It is not on indicators but highly informative and some insights.

OK. Thank you so much. I will look into it. These are very useful tips.

My suggestion is that before you design scales of measurement you have to survey the broad literature on legitimacy or to be more specific regime's legitimacy. You will obviously find several criteria used such as those based on procedural criteria and those based on performance criteria. Out of the various criteria that you will come across you will definitely be able to design scales of measurement by identifying measurable indicators.

Dear Mohammed.

Thank you so much. We actually followed this route meanwhile. It is a great confirmation from your side. Are you doing research in this field?

Dear Michael,

I am not doing research in this field currently, but at one time during my PhD studies I was attempting to examine regime's legitimacy of a particular polity over a period of time, i.e., Zanzibar. From the literature that I surveyed I managed to discern those two broad criteria, i.e., the procedure or the means through which one comes to power and the actual performance while in office, i.e., delivery.