The Legitimation of the Social Power Position of a Real Estate Board.

This article focuses on the legitimization of social power. The fact that social power is generally evaluated negatively in the society emphasizes the importance of the legitimation function for any group occupying a position of influence in a community. In a study by the author it was found that the real estate board was in a key position of social power in a midwestern community of about 200,000 population which will be called Grand Valley. Over the years the board had successfully influenced a large array of community-wide decisions, whether made in the arena of authority by officeholders or in the arena of public elections by voters. Legitimization denotes the formulation and presentation of socially acceptable reasons which offer whatever formulae are deemed appropriate for justifying and explaining decisions and convincing those involved that the decisions are valid. These are framed according to the sentiments and symbols in use in the social system. When adequate approval is secured the decision appears to be right and becomes legitimate to those concerned.