arrogation

Arrogation is the act of claiming or taking for oneself a right, power, or privilege to which one is not legitimately entitled. The term derives from the Latin arrogatio, from arrogare, meaning to claim for oneself or to appropriate. In law and politics, arrogation denotes an improper or unauthorized assertion of authority, jurisdiction, or prerogatives. It may involve assuming powers beyond statutory or institutional limits, or presenting a claim as if sanctioned by law when no such authority exists. In many legal traditions, arrogation is closely linked to, but distinct from, usurpation: usurpation typically refers to the unlawful seizure of power already vested elsewhere, whereas arrogation emphasizes the act of claiming or asserting a right that one does not possess.

Arrogation appears in discussions of constitutional powers, administrative governance, and ecclesiastical prerogatives, where officials or bodies may seek to extend or invent competencies. Critics describe arrogation as an abuse of office or a pretext to fortify control, while defenders sometimes argue that new circumstances justify broadening authority, a claim typically assessed against existing rules and norms. The concept also surfaces in moral philosophy as a critique of excessive self-assertion or entitlement. Related terms include usurpation, pretension, and appropriation.