RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
Althusius, Johannes. Politica. Liberty Fund.
What would it look like if a society were completely covenantal? Althusius paints a fairly compelling picture. In his political treatise the idea of "covenant" permeates every social relation: covenants are all the way down. His key argument is the rights of sovereignty are proper to the realm, not the magistrate (7). He develops this to mean that the realm are the estates (what he calls 'collegia'). They are prior to the king and constitute the king. As a result, there are several rights in which the king can never be invested, including the right to absolute power.
The argument makes sense. If the king gets his legitimacy from the collegia, and the collegia do not give him absolute power (because it is impossible for mortals to have that), then the king cannot rule absolutely.
For Althusius Politics is the art of associating men for the purpose of establishing, cultivating, and conserving social life. Althusius calls this phenomenon “symbiotics.” Ownership of a realm belongs to the estates and administration of it belongs to the king (66).
Althusius has a neat essay on the rule of "ephors". We should seek to organize societal officership on increasing ranks of ten, 50, 100, 1000, and so on, if necessary.
This is a fascinating early account of Calvinist political theory which would later develop into Rutherford's Lex, Rex.
What would it look like if a society were completely covenantal? Althusius paints a fairly compelling picture. In his political treatise the idea of "covenant" permeates every social relation: covenants are all the way down. His key argument is the rights of sovereignty are proper to the realm, not the magistrate (7). He develops this to mean that the realm are the estates (what he calls 'collegia'). They are prior to the king and constitute the king. As a result, there are several rights in which the king can never be invested, including the right to absolute power.
The argument makes sense. If the king gets his legitimacy from the collegia, and the collegia do not give him absolute power (because it is impossible for mortals to have that), then the king cannot rule absolutely.
For Althusius Politics is the art of associating men for the purpose of establishing, cultivating, and conserving social life. Althusius calls this phenomenon “symbiotics.” Ownership of a realm belongs to the estates and administration of it belongs to the king (66).
Althusius has a neat essay on the rule of "ephors". We should seek to organize societal officership on increasing ranks of ten, 50, 100, 1000, and so on, if necessary.
This is a fascinating early account of Calvinist political theory which would later develop into Rutherford's Lex, Rex.
