Various
theories have been put forward to explain the origin of the state. Some
philosophers assert that the state is the result of social contract or an
agreement between the people and the sovereign. There are others who feel that
it is the direct result of force. According to Garner to remark that the state is neither a handiwork of God, nor
the result of a superior physical force, nor the creation of a contract, nor a
mere expansion of family. According to Leacock,
"the state is a growth, an evolution, the result of a gradual process
running through out all the known history of man and receding into remote and
unknown past." The origin of the state cannot be traced to a single factor
of a definite period. There are many factors. These may be discussed as
follows:
1. Social instinct: Aristotle simply stated "Man is by
nature a social animal." The germs of social life are laid in the very
nature of man. This prompted primitive people to live together in groups. The
state is thus primarily based in the basic instinct of sociability of man.
State is thus natural outcome of very social nature of man.
2. Kinship: The earliest human
organizations were based on kinship or blood relationship. Blood relationship
was the most important bond of union among the primitive people. The people who
had their origin in a common ancestor lived together in separate social units.
Those who could not establish any blood relationship were treated as enemies.
Even today, we see various castes and sub-castes. In the words of MacIver,
'Kinship created society and society at length created the state.”
3. Religion: Religion has played
a vital role in the process of the building up of the state. Religion gave
unity to the people both in the primitive and middle ages. In the very early
times, there was animism—worship of animals, trees and stones. It was later
turned to ancestral worship. Later, religion appeared in the form of Nature
worship. The Primitive men could not understand such natural phenomena as
storms, thunder and lightning, or the change of seasons! or the mystery of
birth and death. They were afraid of the forces of nature. They worshipped them
out of awe and reverence. After that magician king appeared followed by the
priest kings. The priest kings remained popular till late in the middle ages.
Religion came to be organized as a regular institution. The Popes dominated the
Christian world, the Caliphs established their authority over the Muslim world,
etc. These virtually helped in the process of state building.
4. Force: Force also played an
important part in the development of the state. In primitive ages, might was
the supreme right. A powerful person would rally round him a number of warriors
and attack a certain territory and would establish his domination over it. History
shows that big states were formed by force. The application of force also gave
territoriality to modern states. War and migration were important factors
responsible for the establishment of various states.
5. Economic: Man has unlimited wants.
He cannot satisfy them alone. He has to depend upon others to satisfy his
needs. So there is always give and take in society. Man is both selfish and
selfless. There are always disputes. State is born to regulate the economic
relations between man and man.
6. Political consciousness: The
sixth factor which contributed to the growth and development of the state was
the slow rise of political consciousness. At first the state came into
existence merely as an idea, that is, it appeared in a subjective form, without
being a physical fact. In course of time, the supreme importance of maintaining
peace and order within the community and defending the country against any
external aggression was felt. It is here that political consciousness appears
in the real form.
The most
important and logical theory of the origin of the state is the Evolutionary
theory. Because:
*The
evolutionary theory of the origin of the state contains the best elements of
the other theories of origin of the state.
*The
evolutionary tells us about the divine origin theory by its element religion,
patriarchal and matriarchal theories through kinship, social contract through
social instinct.
*The
evolutionary theory of the origin of the state is the combined form of all
earlier theories of the state.
That’s
why the evolutionary theory of the origin of state is most appropriate,
reasonable and logical.
