Political Thought of the Middle Ages

The political thought of the Middle Ages is part of medieval philosophy. Without a doubt, it was the Greco-Roman and Biblical views that provided most of the intellectual material that was reinterpreted in the context of medieval ways of thinking, radically different from those that prevailed in ancient Greece, ancient Rome or the Hebrew world. The political thought of the Ancient World of late antiquity was chosen as the starting point because it marked the social recognition and then the rule of Christianity, which provided the fundamental conditions for the development of political medieval ideas.

During the early Middle Ages in the West, people lived in a world where the Christian faith was taken for granted. It was a general assumption that structured life. Politics and the attitude of the Catholic Church to political laws were no exception. The rulers considered it their duty to maintain the welfare of the Church. The popes, bishops, prelates defended the inviolability of political laws. One can say that there was a kind of "Christian civilization" in which all aspects of life (politics, culture, art, medicine, etc.) were defined in the context of the Christian faith.

The political thought of the Middle Ages is based on ideas that were formed between the reign of Emperor Constantine (306-37) and the beginning of the eighth century, when the West saw the coming to power of the Carolingians. These ideas coexisted and interacted with purely medieval ways of thinking.

And if in the early Middle Ages the significance of this heritage was very insignificant, then from the end of the eleventh century, many sources of the political ideas of the ancient world were re-discovered, such as the code of Roman civil law "Codification of Justinian" (Corpus iuris civilis), works of Aristotle, Available in Latin translations. In the twelfth century, education in Paris, Bologna, Oxford and elsewhere was already flourishing. By the beginning of the thirteenth century, corporations had been formed, called universities, in which philosophy was studied within the themes of art, as well as in theology departments. Studies of law issues were very important, and ideas worked out influenced political views.

The political teachings of the Middle Ages claimed that the main goal was the promotion of Christian doctrine and, ultimately, the attainment of eternal life. The church among thinkers, philosophers, theologians assigns the most important role to Thomas Aquinas. He more than any other philosopher, even Aurelius Augustine, laid the foundation for the indestructible teaching of the Catholic Church on politics.

The early Christian (political) philosophy of Augustine was heavily influenced by Plato's ideas. Christian thought somewhat "softened" Stoicism and the theory of justice of the ancient world. In his most famous work - "On the City of God" - the history of mankind was portrayed by Augustine as a conflict between two communities, the "hailstones of the earth" and the "city of God," sinful and divine, destined to end with the victory of the latter.

The political doctrine of Thomas Aquinas deals with types of laws. According to him, there are four laws: the cosmic law of God, the law of God according to the scriptures, the natural law, or universal rules of conduct; Human law, or special rules applicable to specific circumstances. According to the ideas of Thomas Aquinas, the goal of human existence is a union and eternal communion with God.

But nevertheless the political thought of the Middle Ages was connected with a more important problem. How to clearly define the nature of the object? A broad approach to the definition of this issue is dictated by the features of medieval political thought and sources that help historians restore it. Of course, any mention of the state should be included in the study of political ideas, although the term "state" in the Middle Ages could have other connotations that differ significantly from current opinions. It could not necessarily be used to describe the aspects of a politically organized society, at any rate before the twelfth century, although there are some scholars who determined the existence of the idea of the state already in early periods, such as in the Carolingian era.

The complexity of the research lies in the nature of the sources themselves. The political thought of the Middle Ages can not be fully identified only by the works of a number of thinkers. Most medieval writers, if considered in the context of this problem, were primarily theologians, philosophers, lawyers, and political ideas did not show too zealous attention. But in any case, the intellectual orientation of these thinkers should be taken into account when interpreting the question - just as the work of publicists involved in disputes between the papacy and secular rulers. Particular attention should be paid to legal sources - because of the role of the church in the life of society in the early Middle Ages, when ecclesiological issues took on political significance.

In addition, it is necessary to consider sources of another range, reflecting the order of coronations of monarchs, the sequence of historical events - all those materials that not only directly but also indirectly concern political issues and help explain political relations.