Research Article

ON THE GENESIS OF STATE

Number: 31 May 12, 2021
TR EN

ON THE GENESIS OF STATE

Abstract

In this essay we aim to reconsider the genesis of state by elaborating some philosophical concepts and distinctions based on the recent studies in social sciences. We will associate the political power with the realm of state, which is the hallmark of civilization, and the ethical power with the realm of community, which is the bearer of culture. The right question we suggest addressing on the genesis of state is "what kind of ethical outlook should a community have so as to transform into a state?" If the state turns out to be the only authority that possesses the use of violence seen to be legitimate, then it is impossible for a community to give birth to a state without an ethical problem. In order to understand the genesis of state we will aim to reveal this ethical problem. By appealing to the Aristotelian distinction between internal and external goods, we will conclude that the confusion between internal and external goods is the source of the ethical problem for the communities that transform into states.

Keywords

References

  1. Aristotle (1934). Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by H. Rackham. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  2. Artemova, Olga Yu. 2011. "Monopolization of Information and Social Inequality." Alternatives of Social Evolution. Edited by Nikolay N. Kradin, Andrey V. Korotayev, Dmitri M. Bondarenko. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing
  3. Bourdieu, Pierre. 1998. Practical Reason: On the Theory of Action. Translated by Randal Johnson. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
  4. Bourdieu, Pierre. 2000. Pascalian Meditations. Translated by Richard Nice. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
  5. Bourdieu, Pierre. 2014. On the State: Lectures at the College de France, 1989-1992. Translated by David Fernbach. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  6. Bondarenko, Dimitri M., Leonid E. Grinin, and Andrey V. Korotayev. 2004. “Alternatives of Social Evolution.” In The Early State, Its Alternatives and Analogues, edited by Leonid E. Grinin, Robert L. Carneiro, Dmitri M. Bondarenko, Nikolay N. Kradin, and Andrey V. Korotayev, 3-27. Saratov: ‘Uchitel’ Publishing House.
  7. Bondarenko Dmitri, Korotayev, Andrey V. and Kradin, Nikolay N. 2015. "Introduction: Social Evolution, Alternatives and Nomadism" In Nomadic Pathways in Social Evolution. Edited by Nikolay N. Kradin, Dmitri M. Bondarenko and Thomas J. Barfield. Lac-Beauport: MeaBooks Inc.
  8. Carneiro, Robert L. 1970. “A Theory of the Origin of the State.” Science, New Series, Vol. 169, No. 3947: 733-738.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Philosophy

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Publication Date

May 12, 2021

Submission Date

February 23, 2021

Acceptance Date

April 9, 2021

Published in Issue

Year 2021 Number: 31

Chicago
Korkut Raptis, Buket. 2021. “ON THE GENESIS OF STATE”. FLSF Felsefe Ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, nos. 31: 281-300. https://izlik.org/JA85CY86CS.

Starting from 2024, our journal will be published in 3 issues as two regular and one special issues. These issues will be published In May (regular issue), September (special issue) and December (regular issue).

Only articles within the scope of the file will be included in our special issue. 

Thank you for your attention.