State, Society, and Political Philosophy: Key Concepts

Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

The State and Society

The State: As we understand it, the state is a form of political organization where society is divided into rulers and the ruled.

  • Linked to a particular community, the state has membership criteria, dividing people into “insiders” and “foreigners.”
  • Usually associated with a territory, requiring the establishment of borders.
  • Establishes an economic system and criteria for property ownership.
  • Regulates relationships, family structures, associations, and activities.
  • Defined by a legislative system, often a constitutional text, supported by legitimate force.

Utopian Thinking

Every type of person has natural abilities to meet three needs:

  • Concupiscent People: Desire pleasure and aspire to wealth to afford it.
  • Irascible People: Defend and seek adventure and heroism.
  • Rational People: Govern, requiring reflection on problems and solutions.

Augustine of Hippo

Human nature is inherently sociable, created by God. Sociability is organized in widening concentric circles: family, city, and state. The state administers justice.

However, there’s a struggle between two types of people:

  • Good People: Follow God’s will and love God through their work, forming the heavenly city.
  • Wicked People: Prioritize their own will and self-love over God, forming the earthly city.

The Church should guide the state and civil society, serving as an example.

Machiavelli

Machiavelli observed that:

  • Humans are inherently selfish: “ungrateful, elusive to danger, forgetting a father’s death before the loss of inheritance.”
  • Human nature is constant.
  • The goal is to gain and maintain political power (the state), using terror wisely to control behavior.
  • Neither religion nor morality legitimizes the state.
  • The reason of state can justify violating subjects’ property when necessary for political power. (The end justifies the means.)

Modern Contractualism

This assumes society is a functional result of an agreement, a contract between citizens, establishing rules of coexistence. Hobbes and Rousseau are key figures.

Hobbes

Hobbes described a state of nature where everyone has the right to take what they can. This allows us to:

  • Realize our unfortunate state.
  • Agree to submit to a third party.

Rousseau

Rousseau argued that the state is formed by those who want to ensure the enjoyment and preservation of usurped property, leading to despotism of the rich and strong against the weak and enslaved.

Popular will implies:

  • If everyone gives the same, it doesn’t create differences.
  • If everyone buys the same right to others, giving up on themselves, it doesn’t mean any loss of personal freedom.
  • If you can guarantee the conditions of a just society, the individual gains guarantees to preserve their property.