At all times, people have longed for knowledge. First of all, humanity wanted to know about its origin. In the process of cognition, people understood that the whole world around them was built much more complicated than it might seem at first glance. Moreover, society is a constituent element of an even more complex structure, namely the state. It is in the composition of this great mechanism that humanity lives, creates masterpieces, fights, evolves and more. Society and the state are inextricably linked, so the study of the latter should be as detailed as possible. Perhaps, through knowledge of the state, people will be able to solve the secrets of their origin.
The state and the process of its study
At its core, the state is a complex socio-political formation, which has a number of factors inherent only to it, namely:
- sovereignty;
- political power;
- a specific control apparatus;
- territory;
- apparatus of coercion.
In other words, the state is a form of interconnection of society. This mechanism appears due to the activity of the person himself. Simply put, the state comes from society, and not vice versa. In the process of studying the state, many scientists have put forward different versions of the origin of this socio-political mechanism. Thus, certain theories appeared, each of which in its own way explains the process of the emergence of the state. One of these theories was put forward by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. The patriarchal theory of the origin of the state, invented by him, has a number of characteristic features, which will be described below.
What are theories of state origin?
There are many theories that reveal the process of the origin and evolution of the state. In each of them the same thing is considered, from the point of view of different points of view. Any theory proves that the state is a socio-political formation, however, in each theory, different ways of society coming to it are presented. This complex mechanism is a product of the evolution of mankind and its consciousness.
It follows that any theory of the origin of the state, patriarchal or any other, is a framework in which one general factor of the evolution of society is considered - the state.
The history of the formation of the patriarchal theory of the origin of the state
Almost all the concepts that provide the theory of the origin of the state originate from the XVII - XVIII centuries, when humanity was on the verge of transition to a new era. Nevertheless, there is a theory of the origin of the state, the patriarchal basis of which originated in ancient Greece and Rome.
Its popularity in those distant times was due to trends that existed in society. In both Roman and Greek society, the
male figure was the key. A man and a full citizen was considered a man. Similar paternalistic trends led to the emergence of a patriarchal theory. Looking a little ahead, it should be said that the patriarchal theory implies a psychological predisposition of society to unification. In this sense, the pater and the state are identified with the father and family. Religion played an important role in the development of patriarchal theory. Religious beliefs largely explained the features of this theory, especially during the Middle Ages. Representatives of the patriarchal theory of the origin of the state were convinced that initially, God granted royal power to Adam, thereby making him Pater (the head of the family).
The essence of the patriarchal theory of the origin of the state
The whole concept is based on the belief that the state arose from a large family, and the power of the sovereign, king or king - from paternal power in the family.
The whole idea is based on the fact that people, by their nature, are creatures that need to be united. The desire to create one family is their natural craving, in other words, a hereditary factor. The patriarchal theory of the origin of the state, whose author is Aristotle, explains the fact that mankind has constantly created families, which subsequently grew into a state. This evolution has occurred due to the large number of families. To ensure better management and control, the father’s usual power has evolved into a form of government.
According to the patriarchal theory, the relationship between the ruler and society should be based on the principle of "family - father." Moreover, we are talking not only about the sole authority of the monarch or king, but about the management apparatus as a whole. After all, even in the days of the ancient Romans there was a democratic system of power control.
Paternalistic theory
The theory of the origin of the state, the patriarchal essence of which has become tougher over time, has been transformed into a new concept - paternalistic. The essence of the latter is that it directly relates the state and the family. At the same time, no deviations from this main concept are allowed. The head of state, regardless of the political system and form of government, is always the father, and the power itself is the country. A similar theory was put forward by Confucius.
In his opinion, government should be based on the following virtues:
- care for the younger;
- respect for younger seniors;
Paternalistic theory has found its confirmation during the existence of the Russian Empire. Relations in the state were built on faith in the "king-priest."
Patriarchal Theory - Pros and Cons
Of course, the theory of the origin of the state, the patriarchal essence of which creates the “father-seven” construct, sheds much light on the fact of the appearance of the state. Historical evidence for this concept exists, since initially the social system was on the verge of a tribal community. However, it is impossible to directly identify modern states with an ordinary family, since internal processes, the apparatus of power and other state structures are many times more complicated than in an ordinary family.
So, the patriarchal theory gives a detailed description of the fact of the origin of the state, but in the process of human evolution it has ceased to be key. It cannot be said that it is fundamentally wrong, a rational grain is present, but in general it cannot be called the main one.