For episode 16, see here
The Theory of the National State
XVII: Royalist and Anti-Royalist Theories
A. Religious wars brought two sides of philosophy to fore,
especially in France, people's right of defense vs divine right.
B. Protestant attack om absolutism
1. Constitutional argument based on medieval practices
showing absolute monarchy to be an innovation
2. Attempt to show philosophically that monarchy was
contrary to universal rules of right supposed to underlie
all government
3. Vindiciae contra tyrannos was chief work of the French
Protestants
i. saw ruler as servant of the community, one that could do
whatever its own life required
ii. established two contracts, one of the people and king with
God and another between the people and the king
iii. king may be disobeyed when he goes against the
commands of God because people share the covenant
with God and if they didn't take action would become
co-conspirators
iv. the second covenant justifies resistance to tyranny
in secular government
v. form of contract based largely on utilitarian agreement to
render obedience to king to gain the benefit of protection
of life and property
vi. limits on the king based on his subjection to law
vii. resistance was an expression of religion, a corporate right
expressed through magistrates rather than by individuals
4. Anti-royalists assumed law of nature and as defense of ancient
liberties
C. Jesuits and the Pope
1. Militant force of counter-Reformof the Roman Church
2. Sought to reinstate spiritual leadership of Pope
3. Kings power was from the people, only the Pope's authority
came from God
i. thus the king could not demand absolute obedience from
subjects and;
ii. Pope still could control the secular realm on spiritual
matters
4. Juan de Mariana saw the state of nature giving way to
civil society and saw the growth of government as a
natural process and contended that the community
controlled the rulers whom its needs created
5. Francisco Suarez defended spiritual authority of the Pope
but saw power of society to rule itself and its members as
inherent property of social groups
D. The Divine Right of Kings
1. The attack on absolutism led to falling back on longstanding
belief on the divinity of civil society
2. Defense of a national establishment
3. Rested on notion that authority had religious origin and
sanction based on faith rather than on reason
4. Saw law as residing 'in the breast of the king"
5. James I defended monarchy's freedom from interference
6. Pushed analogy of king as father to his children
Next week: Jean Bodin
The Theory of the National State
XVII: Royalist and Anti-Royalist Theories
A. Religious wars brought two sides of philosophy to fore,
especially in France, people's right of defense vs divine right.
B. Protestant attack om absolutism
1. Constitutional argument based on medieval practices
showing absolute monarchy to be an innovation
2. Attempt to show philosophically that monarchy was
contrary to universal rules of right supposed to underlie
all government
3. Vindiciae contra tyrannos was chief work of the French
Protestants
i. saw ruler as servant of the community, one that could do
whatever its own life required
ii. established two contracts, one of the people and king with
God and another between the people and the king
iii. king may be disobeyed when he goes against the
commands of God because people share the covenant
with God and if they didn't take action would become
co-conspirators
iv. the second covenant justifies resistance to tyranny
in secular government
v. form of contract based largely on utilitarian agreement to
render obedience to king to gain the benefit of protection
of life and property
vi. limits on the king based on his subjection to law
vii. resistance was an expression of religion, a corporate right
expressed through magistrates rather than by individuals
4. Anti-royalists assumed law of nature and as defense of ancient
liberties
C. Jesuits and the Pope
1. Militant force of counter-Reformof the Roman Church
2. Sought to reinstate spiritual leadership of Pope
3. Kings power was from the people, only the Pope's authority
came from God
i. thus the king could not demand absolute obedience from
subjects and;
ii. Pope still could control the secular realm on spiritual
matters
4. Juan de Mariana saw the state of nature giving way to
civil society and saw the growth of government as a
natural process and contended that the community
controlled the rulers whom its needs created
5. Francisco Suarez defended spiritual authority of the Pope
but saw power of society to rule itself and its members as
inherent property of social groups
D. The Divine Right of Kings
1. The attack on absolutism led to falling back on longstanding
belief on the divinity of civil society
2. Defense of a national establishment
3. Rested on notion that authority had religious origin and
sanction based on faith rather than on reason
4. Saw law as residing 'in the breast of the king"
5. James I defended monarchy's freedom from interference
6. Pushed analogy of king as father to his children
Next week: Jean Bodin
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