The State (Classic Reprint): Its Nature, Origin, and Functions, and the Duties of Citizens; An Address; Before the Patria Club, New York, April 11, ... New York, April 11, 1898 (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Inhaltsangabe

A thoughtful examination of what the state is, where it comes from, and how citizens should relate to it. This 1898 address argues that the state exists to promote the highest good of every person and the nation as a whole, not merely to enforce laws or advance private interests. It frames the state as a divinely constituted, morally guided institution that commands respect and responsibility from those it serves.

Written in a clear, accessible voice, the work surveys competing theories of the state’s origin and insists that true political life grows from the duties people owe to one another and to the common good. It contrasts visions of government grounded in force or contract with a view of the state as an enduring, public good shaped by ethics, law, and national character.

• Defines the state as more than a jural or economic entity, emphasizing moral purpose and public welfare.


• Discusses origins of political authority as rooted in divine design and communal life, not merely social contracts or force.


• Explains the responsibilities of citizens to honor the state and contribute to the common good.


• Addresses how laws, justice, and public institutions align with national life and individual dignity.

Ideal for readers of political philosophy, history, and American civic discourse looking for a historical perspective on state power and citizen duty.

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