10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Rise and Development of the State., October 4, 2007
This review is from: The State (Paperback)
_The State_, republished from volume two of _The System of Sociology_ in English by the anarchist Black Rose Books, written by German sociologist and political economist Franz Oppenheimer is a fascinating sociological exposition of the growth and development of the state from a libertarian (classical liberal) perspective. Franz Oppenheimer (1864 - 1943) was a German sociologist who taught at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main. He was eventually to teach in Palestine and finally emigrate to America. Oppenheimer's views are libertarian and he defined himself as a liberal socialist. He was heavily influenced by such anarchistic thinkers as Proudhon and Kropotkin but also by libertarians such as Henry George and in line with the thinking of Albert Jay Nock. Oppenheimer sees the state as being born in violence and resulting from the oppression of one class by another. However, he does not completely condemn the state, remaining neutral in this book and maintaining the stance of a classical liberal. Oppenheimer's views are also tinted with a belief in progress, democracy, and evolutionism, and as such he believed that the state could eventually be overcome and result in a democratic society of freemen. This is unfortunate in light of the fact of the continued growth of the state and seems naïve as pointed out by C. Hamilton in his 1975 preface to this book. Nevertheless, this book offers an extremely useful and important sociological critique of the role of the state and shows its growth and development through history.
Oppenheimer begins his book with a preface in which he attempts to explain precisely what he means by "the state" and distinguish his understanding of the state (what he calls the "sociological understanding") from that of his critics. In particular, Oppenheimer argues that although several noted critics among ethnologists have maintained that forms of "government" and "leadership" exist even among societies in which there are no class distinctions, that this rests on a fundamental misunderstanding of what he means by "the state". Oppenheimer maintains that "The State may be defined as an organization of one class dominating over the other classes. Such a class organization can come about in one way only, namely, through conquest and the subjection of ethnic groups by the dominating group." Oppenheimer cites such individuals as Albion Small, Alfred Vierkandt, Wilhelm Wundt, and in particular Ludwig Gumplowicz to support this interpretation. Oppenheimer also maintains that this is the "sociological concept of the state". Further, Oppenheimer argues against the theories of Malthus concerning the so-called "law of population".
The first chapter of this book is entitled "Theories of the State". Again, Oppenheimer considers the "sociological conception of the state". Oppenheimer considers for example the theories of Rousseau (who derives the state from a "social contract"), Carey (who argues that the state arises from a band of robbers), Plato and Marx (who see a near omnipotent role for the state), Stoic and medieval doctrines of the state, which he finds to be problematic. Oppenheimer then re-iterates his sociological concept of the state. The second chapter is entitled "The Genesis of the State". Oppenheimer begins by reflecting on the philosophy of Schopenhauer concerning the role of the "Will" as well as evolutionary theories. He then turns his attention to "Political and Economic Means", arguing that there are only two ways to acquire the means for satisfying man's desires: work and robbery. Subsequently, Oppenheimer examines peoples who apparently have no state; these include huntsmen and grubbers. Oppenheimer emphasizes the primitive communal arrangement of the peasant who is "bound to the soil" and distinguishes it from the later development of the state. He then turns to "herdsmen and Vikings", who he regards as preceding the state. These people live off of bloodshed and frequently own slaves thus paving the way for the development of the state. Oppenheimer also explains the origin of the term "feudal", concerning the ownership of cattle. Following this, Oppenheimer turns to the genesis of the state, explaining how through six stages tribes of huntsmen and nomads enslave the primitive peasants, thus giving rise to the state. The third chapter is entitled "The Primitive Feudal State". Here, Oppenheimer explains how the domination of a small warlike minority is achieved through the primitive feudal state. Oppenheimer considers "the integration", in which "common interest" forces the dominating warlike class to provide legal protection for the lower class. He also considers "the differentiation" involving group theories and group psychology, explaining the role of such concepts as "legitimacy" and religion, as well as the treatment of "aliens". Following this, he considers the primitive feudal state of higher grade, mentioning the role of such things as robbery, war (robbery and murder justified), and taxation (theft from the lower classes). Oppenheimer also considers the merging of two primitive feudal states, and how such mergings give rise to further development of the state. The fourth chapter of this book is entitled "The Maritime State". Oppenheimer here considers the role of the state as founded by sea nomads. He begins by considering traffic in prehistoric times, noting the role of barter and blood-feuds. Following this, he turns his attention to trade and the primitive state, showing how the primitive warriors interfere with the market. From this he considers the genesis of the maritime states, mentioning in particular the Vikings. And, eventually he considers the "essence and issue of the maritime states", showing how money develops, the role of taboo, and the rise of the aristocracy and plutocracy which eventually culminates in the capitalistic exploitation of labor. The fifth chapter is entitled "The Development of the Feudal State". Here, Oppenheimer considers further the development of the feudal state, distinguishing between three classes - nobles, common freemen, and an underclass of slaves. He begins by considering the central power of the primitive feudal state, emphasizing the role of the monarchy. He next considers the political and social disintegration of the primitive feudal state and the ethnic amalgamation. Finally, he considers the developed feudal state. The sixth chapter of this book is entitled "The Development of the Constitutional State". Oppenheimer explains how the constitutional state arises with the emancipation of the peasantry, the growth of the industrial state, and influences from the money economy. Oppenheimer also considers the modern constitutional state, showing the rise of class conflict between the bourgeois and the other classes. The final chapter of this book is entitled "The Tendency of the Development of the State". Here, Oppenheimer re-examines the development of the state from prehistoric to modern times and then reflects on the growth of the state and its subsequent evolution into a democracy. He sees this evolution as resulting in a society of freemen and thus remains optimistic, in line with his evolutionary beliefs.
This book offers a profound critique and sociological exposition of the historical growth and development of the state. It remains an essential libertarian classic for showing how that growth is founded in bloodshed and cruelty. As such, this book is to be highly recommended as a sociological treatise on the development and history of the state.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Serious work written two years too late..., August 24, 2008
There isn't much else that can be said about "The State" that wasn't covered in the first review. The book is very relavent because it forces the reader to think about the very serious question of how we came to be ruled. People are unaware of the coercive nature of the state, as well as it's predatory appetite. The key to the entire treatise is that it identifies the income tax as the turning point of when the state ceases to be the servant of the people and becomes its master. The book, originaly written in 1914, could possibly have prevented this slavery of the masses if it had been written just two years earlier. But all "civilized" societies succumb to the income tax because they are tricked into it. Think about it, who would support the confiscatory practice of paying taxes, when gov't had already survived so long without it? "The State" is an important read for the serious student of history. It adds that extra level of knowledge that one would otherwise not even think about.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Resource, January 26, 2012
This review is from: The State (Paperback)
I bought this book (along with several others) to use as a source when writing papers in college. Specifically, the most useful section of the book deals with the "economic means" and the "political means."
While I earned high grades, my professors were quite unhappy to learn that there are only two methods of human interaction/acquiring wealth. Voluntary (economic means) and coercive (political means). Almost everyone likes to forget about the gun the room.
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