The Right of the State to Be; An Attempt to Determine the Ultimate Human Prerogative on Which Government Rests (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891. Excerpt: ...-related problems which have hitherto called for a justification of the state as a part of the process of their solution, absorb much less attention in our day than formerly. Revolution, as a method of improving matters, has largely given place to reform. So, also, among the Western nations there are no longer any considerable conflicts between rival claimants for authority; and there is no general interest in the various efforts to extend political power to new classes of citizens. But, if the question no longer commands general attention, it has not yet lost its purely scientific interest. This could be true only if there were general concurrence in some particular solution. But such is far from being the case. On one thing, indeed, there is quite universal agreement. Almost everyone fitted to judge rejects the contract theory of the eighteenth century. But, beyond this, there is still chaos. The doctrine of divine right still has a large following. The theory that "might makes right" satisfies a large class. The right of self-preservation is accepted by many as the basal prerogative. Very common in America is the theory that the ultimate prerogative belongs to the people or the nation. And still others might be mentioned. It is evident, therefore, that the problem has still academic interest, for it is still unsettled. In this paper the task of finding the satisfactory solution is again undertaken. With what success the reader must judge. In form, the essay divides into three parts. In the First, after a chapter of definitions, the reality of the problem will be maintained, and its exact nature defined. In Part Second, previous theories will be reviewed and their defects pointed out. In Part Third, the writer's own theory will be explained and defended....