The Evolution of the State and Government
Introduction The evolution of state refers to the various explanations concerning how government and the state came into existence. In political thought, scholars and philosophers have long attempted to explain the origin, nature and justification of political authority. These explanations emerged because human beings have always sought to understand why state exist, how rulers acquire legitimacy, and why citizens obey authority. Government itself may be understood as the machinery through which the affairs of a state are managed and controlled. Since no society can survive permanently without order, organization, and leadership, different theories were developed to explain how government originated and why it remains indispensable to human society. Over the centuries, political philosophers advanced several theories to explain the evolution of state. Among the most prominent are: Natural or Organic Theory Divine Theory Social Contract Theory Force Theory Each of these theories present...