世界银行-过程合法性与发展：分析框架、含义和应用（英）

Policy Research Working Paper11234Process Legitimacy and DevelopmentAnalytical Framings, Implications, and ApplicationsPatrick BarronMarine GassierMeltem IkindjiMichael Woolcock Social Sustainability and Inclusion Global DepartmentOctober 2025 Public Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure AuthorizedProduced by the Research Support TeamAbstractThe Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.Policy Research Working Paper 11234How social change is sought is central to ensuring not only that change happens but that it does so in ways perceived by those most affected by it to be legitimate (especially those who “lose”). This paper expands on the prior concept of “process legitimacy” to provide an analytical framework identifying its key constituent elements and the mecha-nisms by which it is established, consolidated, challenged, and altered as part of the development process. The paper first outlines the drivers of process legitimacy, before developing a typology highlighting four levels at which legitimacy contests occur: between societal groups, between elite factions, between national and local authorities, and between national and global actors. This framework helps identify the risks development interventions face when they fail to navigate these contests effectively. The paper concludes by examining how development interventions can help societies overcome legitimacy contests by fostering constructive spaces for negotiation and facilitating the grad-ual emergence of shared understanding around legitimate goals and processes.This paper is a product of the Social Sustainability and Inclusion Global Department. It is part of a larger effort by the World Bank to provide open access to its research and make a contribution to development policy discussions around the world. Policy Research Working Papers are also posted on the Web at http://www.worldbank.org/prwp. The authors may be contacted at pbarron@worldbank.org, mgassier@worldbank.org, mikindji@worldbank.org, mwoolcock@worldbank.org.Process Legitimacy and Development: Analytical Framings, Implications, and Applications Patrick Barron, Marine Gassier, Meltem Ikindji, and Michael Woolcock1 Keywords: Process legitimacy, social change, procedural fairness, conflict prevention, contestation. JEL classification: H11,