Augustine's Ideal State Analysis

Register to read the introduction… Augustine is more concerned with the ideal state achieving those ends. The means of achieving those ends are not as important. A monarchy would be the preferable style of government. Augustine does not disapprove of democracy or aristocracy. A monarchy most resembles the relationship people have with God. A monarch is single ruler with great prestige and importance, that similar to how the church teaches about God. It would help with state legitimacy and reinforce the idea of God's role in the world. The institutions of the state will have no power of matters that concern the church. The church will play a important part of society as a separate entity from the state. The state would support the church but not interfere. The church will have considerable power in the religious and spiritual aspects of people's lives. In Augustine state the leaders of the state would be Christians. The selection of who will lead depends on what the style of government is. The leaders however must be Christians. If a monarchy the monarch would be hereditary selection, however the royal family should maintain a image that they are representatives of God. Doing God's work would be central to legitimizing …show more content…
Augustine's state depends too much on Christianity. It is too connected to religion to be an ideal state. I would disagree that the type of government does not matter and that order is the main purpose of the government. An ideal state is one that would benefit its entire citizens. Augustine state would only be ideal if everyone where devoutly Christian. I think the role the church has is too powerful and would cause problem with the state performing its function. I think that an the means to achieving an ideal state are a very important part to creating a theory on the ideal