233 



nature but another name for it. The term is, indeed, very commonly used 

 to denote what may be more properly called the anarchic State, or society 

 without government ; but iu this sense it denotes a purely fictitious idea, 

 "which has probably never existed, and which, unless human nature be- 

 comes radically improved, can never exist. For it is evident from the 

 most superficial observation, that the nature of men is such as to impel 

 them, irresistibly, to live in society, and that in order for them to do so gov- 

 ernment is essential. Hence, as rightly defined by Aristotle, "man is by 

 nature a political animal " (avOpwTzog (pbatt TzoXtru6-y ^u>ov, Pol.,i, 2, §9); 

 in which principle we have the cause of the genesis, and continued exist- 

 ence of the State ; the end, or at least the effect of which is, to secure the 

 existence of the conditions necessary to the life and to the welfare or hap- 

 piness of man. Or, as expressed by Aristotle, " the State is first founded 

 in order that men may live, but continued that they may live happily." 

 Hence, we may admit with Burke, that the State " is not a partnership in 

 things subservient only to the gross animal existence of a temporary and 

 perishable nature," but "a partnership in all science, a partnership in 

 every virtue, and in all perfection."* 



§ 16. Of the Distinction Between the State and the Government. 



But in accepting this proposition, it is necessary to distinguish carefj.illy 

 between the State and the government. Government, or political organ- 

 ization, is a necessary and perhaps essential part, but not the whole of the 

 State. Outside of the government there is the people, for whom the gov- 

 ernment exists, and for whom all political power is held in trust. The 

 State, therefore, must be conceived as consisting of the government and 

 of the people. The end, and the corresponding functiou of the State, is 

 to promote the happiness or well-being of the people in every respect ; 

 but the agencies by which this is effected are twofold ; namely, by gov- 

 ernment, whicli is organized force, and, without the intervention of gov- 

 ernment.by the natural influence of men upon each other, and by volun- 

 tary cooperation. Hence, the end, and corresponding function of govern- 

 ment is not coextensive with that of the State ; and the proposition we 

 have asserted of the one cannot be accepted as true of the other. We 

 must then next inquire in what the necessity of government consists, or, 

 in other words, its raison d'etre. 



§ 17. Of the Causal Origin or Raison d' htre of Oovernment. 



While man is irresistibly impelled to live in society, there exist also in 

 his nature certain anti-social tendencies, which, unless restrained, are 

 irreconcilable with the existence of social life. These result from the un- 

 due empire of the self-regarding principles of his nature, which in general 



*The reader will perhaps recognize the last observations as taken from Sir Frederick 

 Pollock's History of the Science of Politics, No. 42, Humboldt Library, pp. 49, 50. But, as 

 will be seen, this must not be taken as indicating any very consider.ible identity of our 

 views in general. 



