By

Dr. Chhabilal Guest Faculty Department of Political Science K.M.C.U.A.F. University, Lucknow

Subject : Indian Political Thought Paper Code : APS-504 Semester : Fifth

By

MANU

The Theory of divine origin of the state is the oldest theory concerning the primary origin of state. According to it, the state is established by God(s), who rule(s) the state directly or indirectly through someone regarded as an agent. The divine theory or the theocratic conception is almost as old as the state itself, and was universally popular in primitive society. It is a well authenticated fact that the early forms of political authority were often connected with unseen powers. According to MacIver, the earliest rulers were a combination of Priest, Magic man, and King. According to the Mahabharata, there was anarchy in the world, and the people prayed to God for a King, and God appointed Manu to rule over them. According to the Jews, the King is treated owing responsibility to God alone for his acts. There are many references in the Old Testament which state that God appoints, dismisses, and even slays rulers. These references were used by Medieval writers to assert supremacy of the Catholic church over political affairs, as the Pope is regarded as a living man closest to God. According to many scholars, people initially lived in a state of nature prior to the origin of an organized state. The state of nature was like a state of war as there was no harmony, peace and goodwill. This period was considered the darkest period in the human history, a situation that is more or less equal to Hobbesian Leviathan. In such conditions, it is stated in Manusmriti that people approached Lord Brahma, the creator, to relieve them from the tortuous life. Thus, the creator gave them a king to maintain law and order and punish the wicked. Thus, according to Manu, state is not an institution that evolved gradually, but was a sudden creation. Apart from the divine origin of the state, Manu opined that the need for the state was not out of economic needs, but out of evil intentions and uncontrollable habits of mankind. In a way, it upholds the theory of divine origin of the state. As men are children of God, so are men children of the King and they owe him an equal obedience, Without a King there could be no civil society, as the people were a mere “heedless multitude” incapable of making laws. All law proceeded from the King as the divinely instituted law-giver of his people. The only choice for the people was submission to the authority of the King or complete anarchy. The King could not be held answerable for his actions to human judgment. The main points in the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings may, thus, be summed up :—  Monarchy is divinely ordained and the King draws his authority from God.

Monarchy is hereditary and it is the divine right of a King that it should pass from father to son.

The King is answerable to God alone.

Resistance to the lawful authority of a King is a sin.  That the State is divinely created does not find any place in the present political thought. The State is essentially a human institution, and it comes into existence when a number of people occupying a definite territory organize themselves politically for achieving common ends. The laws of the State are made by men and enforced by them.  The Divine Origin theory is dangerous as it justifies the arbitrary exercise of royal authority by holding that authority has a religious sanction and origin, and Kings are the vicars of God. When the ruler is made responsible for his actions to God alone and law is held to reside ultimately “in the breast of the King”, it is tantamount to preaching absolutism and making the King a despot. According to Gilchrist, "to say that God selects this or that man as ruler is contrary to experience and commonsense". Most modern political scientists believe that it is too much to believe that God decided to create the state after thinking about it. The theory is considered as dangerous, as it allowed monarchs to have unlimited power. According to Bluntschili, a statesman may "tempt God and shirk responsibility". As the theory of evolution, and the social contract theory became more popular, the theory of the divine origin of the state eventually died out. Divine origin theory, according to this theory state is the creation of God. This is the oldest theory which was proposed to explain the origin of state. This theory gives unlimited power to kings. According to this theory king is the agent of God and should rule over people. According to this theory state is created by God. So people should obey state and kings if they do no they disobey God and king is responsible only to God so no person should challenge his authority. It is religious responsibility of people to obey king. This theory has lead to the creation of Theocratic state. Due to it’s religious color many religious organizations supported it. This theory has given unchecked power to king. This theory doesn’t says anything about right’s of people. There is no write constitution. People are left on the mercy of God.