Concept Of StateEssay Preview: Concept Of StateReport this essaySome contemporary Scholars like Quentin Skinner define the state today as “a locus of power distinct from either the ruler or the body of the body of the people.” (Skinner, Foundations of Modern Political Thought, II, p.355). Yet, others would argue that the potency of the word “state” derives from the fact that it means both ruler and people. In other words, the state is at the same time loved for its promise of order and stability for the whole community and feared for its threat of coercion by the power which does the ordering. Both schools of thought may be right for there is no universal definition of the concept. But no intellectual discussion about the concept of the state is complete without a review of the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas and Martin Luther. First, and most important, St. Thomas Aquinas arguably was the first to formulate the concept of the state as the “set order of the rulers” at the heart of every stable commonwealth. The general concept which was necessary before the name could be attached to a particular form of government in Aristotles framework. Second, Martin Luther continued to evolve the concept of the state in terms of how he saw a division of labor between Church (or spiritual power) and the those things temporal–the state–and how the ruler, without direct intervention from the Church, should govern it with respect to his nobles and, above, all the common good of the people of his realm.
Aquinas establishes early on that the state is a natural institution (very different from Augustine whose ideas prevailed up to this point in history) because “la naturaleza del hombre [es] ser un animal sociable y politico que vivien sociedad.” (Aquinas, La Monarquia, I, p. 7) And he goes on to affirm that man must live in societies to achieve fulfillment “porque un sol hombre por si mismo no puede bastarse en existencia.” (Aquinas, La Monarquia, I, p. 7). As a result, there has to be a group within state whose job it is to take thought for the common good, that is, to see that things are organized to everybodys benefit.
To Aquinas, the state is a legitimate institution ordained by God with its own proper goals and jurisdiction. The ultimate goal is to secure common good for citizens, which include peace, harmony in the actions of citizens, and adequate provision for needs of life. Notwithstanding, the goal of church is a superior goal and in the final analysis the Church is a superior institution to the state, but still the Church should not interfere in the business of the state. By the same token the state must recognize that mans final goal is supernatural and not interfere with the Church.
In terms of the ruler, Aquinas advances the idea that the virtuous ruler should avoid honor, glory, and other benefits and seek justice for his people. This point is clear when he affirms that “un alma virtuosa y valiente [que] despreciar la gloria y la vida por la justiciay hace actos de vitud..se convierta en un hombre digno.. .” (Aquinas, La Monarquia, VII, p. 34) Moreover, what legitimates the authority of a ruler is that he is in fact ruling for the good of the people. If someone is a Tyrant–ruling for his own benefit and not the good of the people, then its legitimate to overthrow him if the situation is so bad that to retain the status quo is worse than all the terrible harm that revolution will cause. In short, you are assured of replacing your tyrant with something better.
The Tyrant in Politics and Democracy
The first part of the above discussion of the political system needs to be explained in conjunction with the concept of the tyrant. Democracy, a common word and by implication of the Tyrant, is essentially a political system in which the people control the means of production and determine the distribution of wealth and power in the whole world. But it also involves the tyranny of the aristocracy, whose ruling power in some cases leads to a kind of oligarchy. A representative body will generally be a kind of bureaucratic body whose power will be confined to those who hold power (e.g., their own officials and the heads of the organizations that they form) and those who do not.
As we are familiar with, it is true that for an aristocracy to control the means of production, they need a sort of administrative body or representative body that they can sit on and appoint. The government may be independent of public or private authority, and the people may be subject to a number of laws and regulations, including the laws that the representatives of the general public will apply. Thus by a democracy, where those who control the means of production are the elected officials, even if they are not a party to the assembly or its system of government, they constitute a part of the representatives or legislators of the society. This part of the body will be composed of representatives and they will be accountable to him, who will decide the issues at vote, for instance. Even if he does not, because of his privilege, he may be tried by judges of all types of courts of law that also serve civil society. This justice will likely be in proportion to the powers which he has.
The democracy of the republic will provide the necessary legal, political, and social instruments, as well as means to ensure that all peoples and every type of people live in harmony, the rule of law, liberty, and justice. The Constitution seeks to ensure that all citizens of a republic of common life are granted equal, secure, and secure access to the political and economic tools of government and to promote the protection and development of human well-being. That will be its primary aim, and of course the Constitution calls for, in addition to the democratic and constitutional means of development to bring about these ends, the provision for full-time public and private schools, safe and sound air, and equal health care and education, for every individual, women, and children, for every human being (including those that are sick and are suffering from other forms of illness, injury, and illness), for every family, school, and health plan, for every citizen, as well as the right to vote, and for a free college education. The government may be independent of a federal government, but the government will be governed through a federal system with national law and regulations and rules that have a federal character.
The Constitution ensures that the rights of every citizen constitute, in the sense we shall define, the fundamental rights of all citizens: to enjoy the advantages of citizenship, to remain in possession of property, to receive equal and regular employment opportunities, to participate in society and in government, to participate in the enjoyment of all human rights, including citizenship, without discrimination on the basis of race, religion or national origin.
At the same time, the Republic can be used to bring about other values of the people. For instance, for those who live in poverty, this can be the reason for exercising all of the rights and freedoms guaranteed to them, such as the right to vote.
A society is a community of people who work together at a shared common business of economic and political activity, who work freely, honorably, and together.
If we want a society that gives the people of our own country the freedom to work and to take to work freely, it is vital that the people of the republic make use of their advantages to bring about their fullest participation in the economic, political, and professional systems of the country.
The Republic provides for a public good by ensuring that the government ensures that the rights and privileges enjoyed throughout the nation are respected.
We ask that the law be made null and void and that the government only upholds these rights and those of others.
We urge that public institutions, like the Senate, be free to impose their will upon individuals and to give due regard to others’ activities, including their opinions.
The government will ensure that there are no unfair government practices.
We urge that the government establish effective control over the institutions of our state which allow every citizen, every person who wishes the freedom to participate in our democracy and our rights and to hold public office accountable so that we protect and strengthen the constitutional rights of all citizens.
We request that the government provide for comprehensive education programs, as well as for the creation of a new, state-sponsored high and middle schools for all children.
We ask that the government create a national plan for the development of children.
For these reasons, we urge that it be established that all children will have access to the government education system in accordance with our Constitution.
As well as the right to a fair education, we ask the government to provide for full and fair and open public instruction
The government can also be used to protect some individual people who are less powerful than he is, even if he is not the tyrant. For example, as soon as a general is elected to a position or body of the people, he holds that office, but he is not the tyrant. In other words, people who are only responsible for serving the people have to participate in government actions. A ruler can choose to allow these people to rule, but his control of these people will be based on their will to protect them and the well-being of the masses.
Thus, the people’s will should be limited to those policies that will help them maximize their economic and social power. We would argue that the people’s will should never be limited to those policies that will lead to their success, but rather should include the actions taken by the government and the decisions undertaken by its leaders in that pursuit.
The rule of law is by no means an ideal, however. The majority of the world’s democracies have laws, yet a few laws are considered important, and we have heard of little literature on legal reforms, at least not in this country. Indeed, a majority of states and some nations have not enacted or implemented any laws that directly address the legal challenges and civil unrest
The Tyrant in Politics and Democracy
The first part of the above discussion of the political system needs to be explained in conjunction with the concept of the tyrant. Democracy, a common word and by implication of the Tyrant, is essentially a political system in which the people control the means of production and determine the distribution of wealth and power in the whole world. But it also involves the tyranny of the aristocracy, whose ruling power in some cases leads to a kind of oligarchy. A representative body will generally be a kind of bureaucratic body whose power will be confined to those who hold power (e.g., their own officials and the heads of the organizations that they form) and those who do not.
As we are familiar with, it is true that for an aristocracy to control the means of production, they need a sort of administrative body or representative body that they can sit on and appoint. The government may be independent of public or private authority, and the people may be subject to a number of laws and regulations, including the laws that the representatives of the general public will apply. Thus by a democracy, where those who control the means of production are the elected officials, even if they are not a party to the assembly or its system of government, they constitute a part of the representatives or legislators of the society. This part of the body will be composed of representatives and they will be accountable to him, who will decide the issues at vote, for instance. Even if he does not, because of his privilege, he may be tried by judges of all types of courts of law that also serve civil society. This justice will likely be in proportion to the powers which he has.
The democracy of the republic will provide the necessary legal, political, and social instruments, as well as means to ensure that all peoples and every type of people live in harmony, the rule of law, liberty, and justice. The Constitution seeks to ensure that all citizens of a republic of common life are granted equal, secure, and secure access to the political and economic tools of government and to promote the protection and development of human well-being. That will be its primary aim, and of course the Constitution calls for, in addition to the democratic and constitutional means of development to bring about these ends, the provision for full-time public and private schools, safe and sound air, and equal health care and education, for every individual, women, and children, for every human being (including those that are sick and are suffering from other forms of illness, injury, and illness), for every family, school, and health plan, for every citizen, as well as the right to vote, and for a free college education. The government may be independent of a federal government, but the government will be governed through a federal system with national law and regulations and rules that have a federal character.
The Constitution ensures that the rights of every citizen constitute, in the sense we shall define, the fundamental rights of all citizens: to enjoy the advantages of citizenship, to remain in possession of property, to receive equal and regular employment opportunities, to participate in society and in government, to participate in the enjoyment of all human rights, including citizenship, without discrimination on the basis of race, religion or national origin.
At the same time, the Republic can be used to bring about other values of the people. For instance, for those who live in poverty, this can be the reason for exercising all of the rights and freedoms guaranteed to them, such as the right to vote.
A society is a community of people who work together at a shared common business of economic and political activity, who work freely, honorably, and together.
If we want a society that gives the people of our own country the freedom to work and to take to work freely, it is vital that the people of the republic make use of their advantages to bring about their fullest participation in the economic, political, and professional systems of the country.
The Republic provides for a public good by ensuring that the government ensures that the rights and privileges enjoyed throughout the nation are respected.
We ask that the law be made null and void and that the government only upholds these rights and those of others.
We urge that public institutions, like the Senate, be free to impose their will upon individuals and to give due regard to others’ activities, including their opinions.
The government will ensure that there are no unfair government practices.
We urge that the government establish effective control over the institutions of our state which allow every citizen, every person who wishes the freedom to participate in our democracy and our rights and to hold public office accountable so that we protect and strengthen the constitutional rights of all citizens.
We request that the government provide for comprehensive education programs, as well as for the creation of a new, state-sponsored high and middle schools for all children.
We ask that the government create a national plan for the development of children.
For these reasons, we urge that it be established that all children will have access to the government education system in accordance with our Constitution.
As well as the right to a fair education, we ask the government to provide for full and fair and open public instruction
The government can also be used to protect some individual people who are less powerful than he is, even if he is not the tyrant. For example, as soon as a general is elected to a position or body of the people, he holds that office, but he is not the tyrant. In other words, people who are only responsible for serving the people have to participate in government actions. A ruler can choose to allow these people to rule, but his control of these people will be based on their will to protect them and the well-being of the masses.
Thus, the people’s will should be limited to those policies that will help them maximize their economic and social power. We would argue that the people’s will should never be limited to those policies that will lead to their success, but rather should include the actions taken by the government and the decisions undertaken by its leaders in that pursuit.
The rule of law is by no means an ideal, however. The majority of the world’s democracies have laws, yet a few laws are considered important, and we have heard of little literature on legal reforms, at least not in this country. Indeed, a majority of states and some nations have not enacted or implemented any laws that directly address the legal challenges and civil unrest
To Aquinas, there are three types of government: law-abiding democracy. aristocracy, which is rule by the few best–in the sense of those who have the talent and the will to rule wisely; and the monarchy, which is rule by the one best, and it doesnt have to be hereditary. He also seems to toy with the idea that you can elect a monarchy as long as you get the best. There are three bad types of government: demagogic democracy (lawless mob-rule), oligarchy (rule by the few richest and most powerful), and tyranny (rule by the one guy whos ruthless enough to grab power (Aquinas, La Monarquia, II, p.9-11).
Most importantly, Aquinas claims that the best form, in theory, is a monarchy because you would get the unity of action with one person running things. In a practice, hard to get a really great monarch, and even if you do its hard to find another to succeed him, so there are practical problems with monarchy. In an ideal situation, he advances the notion that a mixed constitution is best for it is a monarch, but also aristocracy (spread power around) and some democracy in that some officials should be elected by the people (Aquinas, La Monarquia, V, p.28-34)
While Martin Luther reinforces Aquinas concept of how the state with a virtuous ruler is required to preserve peace, punish the unjust, and restrained