The theory of the origin of the state is patriarchal and its essence

At all times people have been striving for knowledge. First of all, humanity wanted to know about its origin. In the process of cognition, people understood that the whole surrounding world is more complicated than it may seem at first glance. At the same time, society is a constituent element of an even more complex structure, namely the state. It is in this large mechanism that humanity lives, creates masterpieces, fights, evolves, and so on. Society and the state are inextricably linked, so studying the latter should be as detailed as possible. Perhaps, through knowledge of the state, people can unravel the secrets of their origin.

The state and the process of its study

At its core, the state is a complex socio-political formation that has a number of factors inherent only to it, namely:

- sovereignty;

- political power;

- a specific control apparatus;

- territory;

- the apparatus of compulsion.

In other words, the state is a form of interconnection of the society. This mechanism appears due to the activities of the person himself. Simply put, the state comes from society, and not vice versa. In the process of studying the state, many scientists put forward different versions of the origin of this socio-political mechanism. Thus, certain theories appeared, each of which explains the process of the state in its own way. One of such theories put forward 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 discussed below.

What is the theory of the origin of the state?

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 standpoint of different points of view. Any theory proves that the state is a socio-political formation, but in each theory, different ways of society's coming to it are presented. This complex mechanism is a product of the evolution of mankind and its consciousness.

Hence it follows that any theory of the origin of the state, patriarchal or any other, is a framework in which one common factor in the evolution of society is considered: the state.

The history of the formation of the patriarchal theory of the origin of the state

Virtually all the concepts that the theory of origin of the state provide originate from the XVII - XVIII centuries, when humanity was on the verge of transition into a new era. Nevertheless, there is a theory of the origin of the state, the patriarchal foundation of which originated in ancient Greece and Rome. Her popularity in those distant times was due to the trends that existed in society. In both Roman and Greek societies, the male figure was key. A man was considered a person and a full citizen. Such paternalistic trends led to the emergence of a patriarchal theory. Running a little forward, it should be said that patriarchal theory implies a psychological predisposition of society to unification. In this sense, the father and the state are identified with the father and the family. An important role played by religion 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 confident that initially, God granted the royal power to Adam, thereby making him a Pater (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 originated from a large family, and the power of the sovereign, the king or the king - from the paternal power in the family.

The whole idea is based on the fact that people by nature are beings who need to unite. 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, the author of which is Aristotle, explains the fact that mankind constantly created families that later grew into a state. This evolution has occurred because of the large number of families. To ensure more competent management and control, the father's usual power 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." In doing so, we are talking not only about the sole authority of the monarch or the king, but about the apparatus of government in general. Even in the time of the ancient Romans, there was a democratic system of governance of the state.

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, there are no deviations from this, the main concept. The head of state, regardless of the political system and form of government, is always a father, and the state itself is a country. A similar theory was put forward by Confucius. In his opinion, state management should be based on the following virtues:

- concern for the younger;

- Respect for younger seniors;

The paternalistic theory was very much confirmed during the existence of the Russian Empire. Relations in the state were built on the belief in the "king-father".

Patriarchal theory - the pros and cons

Of course, the theory of the origin of the state, the patriarchal essence of which creates the "father-seven" design, in many respects sheds light on the fact of the emergence of the state. Historical evidence of this concept exists, because initially the social order 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 constructions of the state are many times more complicated than in an ordinary family.

So, the patriarchal theory gives a detailed description of the origin of the state, but in the process of human evolution it ceased to be a key one. It can not be said that it is at the root of an incorrect, rational grain, but in general it can not be called the main one.