A discussion of political legitimacy in A Song of Ice and Fire and the Game of Thrones tv series. How do different regimes legitimize their rule? Why is it dangerous to share power with a religious establishment? The theories of Max Weber and Mancur Olson are featured.
Notes:
2:45 - Max Weber is a big name in political science. His Essay,
Politics as a Vocation, discusses political legitimacy among other topics.
5:04 - I suppose the Arryns are in the mix there too. They always seem to be overlooked.
6:13 - Varys, Jaime Lannister, and Barristan Selmy all continue in their positions under the new regime.
8:12 - Mancur Olson was also an accomplished economist (that's what his degrees were in). For his views on the origins of government, see
Dictatorship, Democracy, and Development.
21:57 - Wakanda forever!
24:54 - No pun intended ("stark difference).
26:16 Side Rant.
Intro and outro music: "Swim below as Leviathans" by Fireproof_Babies (featuring Ben Shewmaker) is licensed under CC BY.