| Part III. Of Society |
| Chapter 14 In general There are many questions that are asked concerning society including What is the best society? Why did man choose to enter society? Was man ever not in a society? How did the first societies come about? It is these questions and others that I will try to answer in this part (and somewhat in the next part - Of Government). I will be considering these questions concerning society: 1. Was man ever not in a society? 2. Why did man choose to enter into society? 3. How did the first societies come about? 4. What are the purposes of society? 5. What is the best society? First, to understand these questions, we must clarify what a society is (considering all these questions seek to answer questions concerning society). A society may be said to be a union of two or more humans (in our usage) who decide to cooperate and end the war which exists between them in the state of nature. Thus we begin our discourse. Chapter 15 Was man ever not in a society? Considering this question I must answer, yes. For there was a time when only one man existed (whether you believe in creationism or evolution), and it is foolish to say that one man can form a society. However, once man and woman joined in marriage, a sort of society was formed. This society is the same type of loosely bound society that the animals form. We see that as soon as the father dies that the sons become the heads of their own societies, so there is no lasting bond. Thus we see that our political societies are not natural, but man made. Man chooses to enter into a society with his brothers, sisters, or neighbors. Thus, there was a time when man was not in a society. Chapter 16 Why did man choose to enter into society? To answer this question we look back to mans desires for luxury. One man, by himself, can meet his natural needs. (Food, water, shelter, etc.) However, man cannot achieve a luxurious state considering his time is spent fulfilling his needs, carrying out his duty of procreation, and protecting himself and his children from attack. Thus we see that man entered into society for 3 reasons: to easier fulfill his needs, to protect himself, and to achieve a luxurious state. For man realized that his needs may be easier met if one man farmed, another guarded, and another built, and so on. Thus we see the three duties of society (which will be later discussed). Chapter 17 How did the first societies come about? This question is a difficult one to answer. Did one man, who was better at attack and defense, force his neighbor, a good farmer, to grow food for him as well? Did one man, who had superior intellect, convince his neighbors that they may easier meet their needs, and achieve luxury, if they worked together? Thus we see that this question is not perfectly answerable. However, we may make several hypotheses. First, a forced formation of society. Let us assume that the guard (the man that was good at attack and defense) forced his farming neighbor to grow food for him as well. However, we see a problem with this hypothesis. Our needs are not limited to food. We also need shelter. So, may it be assumed that this guard also forced someone good at building to build him a home as well? Surely not, unless the guard possessed great enough intellect to be sure that both his slaves were always separated. For it may be assumed that the builder and farmer, with their strengths combined, may easily over throw the rule of the single guard. Thus, this formation of society may be dismissed. Secondly, an intellectual formation of society. Let us now assume that the intellectual man convinced his neighbors of the good that could come of the formation of a society. Here we also find problems. Many men, by nature like stability. May it be assumed that a man would completely give up his farming to become only a builder because someone told him to? Certainly not. And if so, may it be assumed that this intelligent man would convince enough people to do this to form a full society? Absolutely not. Thus we see that this idea is a fallacy. Thus we come to the most probable beginning of society. Neighbors, living near each other, one grows primarily one crop, the other another. However, each grows weary of only eating the food that they produce, thus, they decide to trade part of their food. Thus, a neighborly relationship is formed. Then, one man may fall ill. He, because of this relationship that has been formed, requests that his neighbor care for his field as well. The neighbor, out of hope that his neighbor may one day return the gift, concedes. The neighbor of the ill man finds that producing enough food for himself and his neighbor is not as difficult as it first seemed to be, thus he requests that his neighbor, who has now recovered, protect both of their lands from attack. Out of gratitude, the neighbor agrees. Thus, we see that this may be a possible start to society. These men may then involve more people, out of which grows a society. Eventually, there may be enough men protecting, and providing for needs, that there are men without work. These people may then begin producing luxuries and inventions, which may further allow more to become inventors and luxury producers. Eventually, this city may become of great size. This size requires a government for conflict is inevitable. Once luxury is introduced into society, so is greed. Thus, we see men trying to gain that which is not theirs. These conflicts require a standard to be measured by, that which is called law. Thus our society chooses to agree to laws, and also agree to set up a government to oversee the execution and judging of the laws. Thus is our first society (and its government) formed. Chapter 18 What are the purposes of society? There are in fact 4 purposes of society. (The first three have been listed, the fourth is yet to be explained). The first purpose is to provide for needs. The second to provide protection (which I state separately from needs though it is one). The third is to provide luxury. And because of the greed cause by luxury, the fourth is to provide laws and a mediator to judge in cases between citizens. Chapter 19 What is the best society? This is a common question, but one I will not evaluate greatly. For, when this question is asked, generally what is meant is, what is the best government? The best society, I will term as one which can sufficiently meet the needs of its citizens, can protect them from outside and inside dangers, can provide sufficient luxury, and can uphold its laws sufficiently. A society which does all this should avoid revolution. Thus, we see that the society which is best is that which is preserved the longest, for it, logically, must provide for the needs of the citizens (else they would die out, leave, or revolt), protect the citizens (else they would be killed), provide luxury (else they would leave to a more luxurious society), and mediate fairly (else the inequality would be felt, and the result would be the revolt of those who were treated unfairly). It is of this mediation, and the laws which will be judged which I will speak of in my next part. Part IV |
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