Primitive Societies
The oldest form of
society and the only natural one is the family. Children remain bound to their
father for only just so long as they feel the need of him for their self
preservation. Once that need ceases the natural bond is dissolved. From the
obedience which hey formerly owed, and the father, cleared of his debt of
responsibility to them, return to a condition of equal independence. If the
bond remain operative it is no longer something imposed by nature, but has
become a matter of deliberate choice. The family is a family still, but by
reason of convention only.
This shared liberty
is a consequence of main's nature. Its first law is that of self preservation
its first concern is for what it owes itself. s soon as a man attains the age
of reason he becomes his own master, because he alone can judge of what will
best assure his continued existence.
We may, therefore,
if we will, regard the family as the basic model of all political associations.
The ruler is the father writ large. The people are, by analogy, his children,
and all, ruler and people alike, alienate heir freedom only so far as it is to
their advantage to do so. The only difference is that whereas in the family the
father's love for his children is sufficient reward to him for the care he has
lavished on them, in the State, the pleasure of commanding others takes its place,
since the ruler is not in a relation of love to his people.
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