Category: Perspectives And Theories On The Origin Of The State

The critics invariably doubt the historical possibility of such a social contract. It is said that historical and sociological evidences do not support validity of the state of nature. By challenging the very basic assumption of the theory about the existence of the state of nature, the critics push the social contract theory in the… Continue reading Historical and sociological possibility

Social contract theory may be termed as the most influential political doctrine that came up in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and that could boast of a long line of supporters and sympathizers. Besides Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau, various philosophers, jurists, political writers, poets, and religionists supported the social contract theory. These included ‘Hooker, Milton,… Continue reading Critical Evaluation of the Social Contract Theory

Since the State is a result of contract, it is an artificial construct. So is the post-contract civil society, except for Rousseau. As such, one of the challenges is to achieve unity and stability in the civil society. Hobbes sought to achieve this by assigning unity to the Leviathan, the sovereign; Locke did that by… Continue reading Nature and type of state in the civil/political society

The three social contractualists viewed human nature and the prevailing condition in the state of nature somewhat differently. However, as Garner opines, ‘whatever the difference of opinion among the philosophers as to the actual character of the state of nature, they were all in accord that it was unsatisfactory condition of society.’41 The unsatisfactory condition for… Continue reading Nature and terms of social contract

‘State of nature’ signifies a condition of human existence from which man seeks to emerge either due to an anarchic condition or an absence of authority or regulation on the activities of individuals or lack of condition of self-expression. In short, it is a stateless condition without a superior authority (either a Leviathan or a Commonwealth or… Continue reading Condition in the state of nature

The difference in the approach of the three social contractualist thinkers starts with the difference in their understanding of human nature and psychology. Hobbes in Leviathan gave primacy to the instinct of self-preservation as the principle behind all human behaviour. Starting from the assumption that two types of feelings, desire and aversion are the moving factors in human beings,… Continue reading Human nature and psychology of man

Social contract refers to some type of covenant or collective understanding amongst the people in general. It is differentiated from any written legal contract. The Social Contract theory attributes the idea of authority to contract between the people. Though earlier, Cicero, Althusius and Grotius had hinted at social contract as the basis of authority, it… Continue reading Social Contract Theory

The Force theory and the divine origin theory both attribute the origin of the State to one of the factors—force or divine dispensation. They are as such mono-causal theories of origin of the State. While one highlights the domination–submission aspect of human relationship, the other bases itself on religious justification. These theories fail to give any… Continue reading Liberal Theories of Origin of the State

Kautilaya’s Arthasastra primarily relates to political economy and statecraft. However, it also mentions how kingship or monarchy came into being. It hints at some type of conscious decision on the part of the people to institute Manu, the son of Vivasvat as the king. Kautilaya locates the origin of monarchy as a result of what he calls matsyanyaya. Matsyanyaya implies an anarchic situation… Continue reading Kautilaya’s Arthasastra on Origin of the State

The theory of divine origin, considered one of the oldest theories of the origin of authority, covers two related arguments. One relates to the theory of divine origin of kingship as the sole authority of the State in general and the other relates to the theory of divine rights of the kings as a justification… Continue reading Theory of the Divine Origin of the State