Abstract

The image of the ruler who decides and acts "rapidly" is a key element to understand contemporary process of power legitimacy, especially in the context of a «high-speed society», strongly characterized by globalisation process and technological advances. This paper aims to analyse the political relevance of the notion of "quickness "in historical and theoretical perspective by assessing (1) the classical opposition between "gravitas" and "celeritas", (2) "rapidity" as a dimension of efficiency in modern societies, (3) the role of "quickness" in Max Weber's theory of legitimacy, and (4) contemporary arguments on political governability in relation with the imaginary of a high-speed society.