“I would, in a sense, certainly assist the Amir of Afghanistan if he waged war against the British Government. That is to say, I would openly tell my countrymen that it would be a crime to help a government which had lost the confidence of the nation to remain in power.”
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Authority rests on the trust of the people it governs, not on the office itself. Once that trust is gone, keeping such a power propped up isn't neutral — it actively wrongs those still under it. Legitimacy is granted from below, and what is granted can also be withdrawn.
When to use it
- Employees declining to shore up a manager who has plainly lost the whole team's confidence.
- A board refusing to keep a discredited chief in place just to avoid the pain of change.
- Club members withdrawing support from officers who no longer represent anyone but themselves.