The COVID-19 pandemic as an element of recrudescence of the State legitimacy crisis

Abstract

This study seeks to identify how the COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to the recrudescence of the legitimacy crisis of the Democratic State, based on Anthony Giddens' Theory of Structuring. The hypothesis, tested using a deductive methodology with a bibliographic review, is that inconsistencies in the first national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic reflect a fragility in the structure and functioning of the State system, and contribute to the recrudescence of the legitimacy crisis of the Democratic State. First, Giddens' contributions to the understanding of the challenges posed by late modernity to the legitimation of the Democratic State are analyzed. Then, the role of States in implementing the public health response to the international spread of communicable diseases proposed under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005 is presented and discussed. Finally, the limits of States' responses to face the COVID-19 pandemic are demonstrated, as well as the impact of the initial failure to contain the spread of the virus on the trust placed by society in States. The acceptance of the conciliation hypothesis is suggested, pointing to a questioning about the possible consequences of this crisis for the social contract, in the direction of a global contractualism.