M2 Definition of Legitimacy Without Metaphor

This paper provides a strict, non-metaphorical definition of legitimacy grounded in admissibility and standing conservation. Legitimacy is characterized as a binary structural property that cannot be generated, accumulated, transferred, or repaired through explanation, performance, consensus, or success. The definition is derived by exhaustion: all metaphor-dependent or intuitive accounts are shown to introduce illicit primitives or hidden degrees of freedom and to fail closed. The treatment is declarative and non-procedural, placing on record a precise definition suitable for audit while avoiding illustrative metaphors, operational criteria, or implementation guidance.