Divine origin theory of the state.

Divine origin theory of the state:

a). Divine origin theory also known as the theory of divine rights of king. it is the oldest theory concerning the primary origin of state. It is as old as the society itself and was universally popular in primitive society. According to it,  the state is established by God, who rule the state directly or indirectly through his representative (King priest or any other person).

b). That was the belief in ancient time that king is a great source of wisdom and he is responsible to the God only. People must submit and surrender unconditionally to the king.

c). A bad king will be judged by the God not buy the king's subject and human Institutions. The theory of divine origin lost its popularity by the late eighteenth century, although it was still popular in places such as Czarist Russia until its collapse.

Criticism  of this theory:

1- According to Gilchrist, " To say that God selects this or that man as ruler is contrary to experience and common sense".

2- It is not suitable for the modern democracies where people elect their representatives. There is no historical evidence to prove that state is created by the God.

3- There are seven lines of argument in the hands of RN Gilchrist leveled against the divine theory.
i). The state is a human institution organised in an association through human agency.

ii). The second line of argument is that such a Theory will make the ruler despotic and autocratic.

iii). This theory is unrealistic because a bad ruler  will continue to rule under the divine Shield.

iv). Divine theory is unscientific. this

v).  This theory runs counter to the universally accepted conception that the state is the result of a historical evolution.

vi). This theory is undemocratic.

vii). New testament of Bible reversed the divine conception of the state as ingrained in the old Testament.

Decline of the divine right theory:

a). When a more accepted theory like the social contract theory came out, the divine theory was dashed to the ground. The new theory suggested that the state is a handy work of men, not a grace of God.

b). The post reformation period is a period of non religious politics. Thus the secular Outlook made the divine theory unacceptable.

c). In the third place,  the emergence of democracy was a big blow for the autocratic dogma of mixing religion with politics and thereby it blunted the edge of identifying God with the king.  Democracy not only glorified the individual but shattered the divine holo around the origin of the state.

4- Last but not the least was the growth of scientific enquiry and Mat realistic view of the political mechanism. The results were that the erstwhile blind faith and superstition was no longer acceptable. The people began to accept only those things that stood the test of logic and reasoning.

Value of the divine theory:-

a). Although the divine theory is totally discredited as an origin of the state. There are some good things in it. The summun bonum  of the theory is that it is stimulated discipline and law abidingness among the subjects at a time when these were the needs of the hour.

b). This theory also created the moral responsibility of the rulers,  because they were cast with a divine injunction to rule to the perfect satisfaction of the heaven.