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The State's Auxiliary System |
The auxiliary systems for the state and religion have much in common with each other and tend to differ from the auxiliary systems of the economy and science. The auxiliary systems for the nonproductive spheres establish the dominance of the productive spheres. Thus while the theme of the auxiliary systems for economics and science was greater independence, the theme of the auxiliary systems for the state and religion is growing dependence and subservience. List of Steps In States Auxiliary System - theoretical Auxiliary Step Categories
1. Feudal Aristocrat - Specialist 1. Feudal Aristocrat - Specialist The chaos associated with the fall of the Roman Empire broke defense down to a local level. The feudal aristocrat operating out of a castle provided defense for the immediate area surrounding the castle. 2. Squire, Knight System - Educational Institution As central power began to reestablish itself the favored position of the feudal aristocrat was threatened. The feudal aristocracy convinced itself that a good mounted warrior had to be trained from youth. This as well as the need for unity among the aristocrats lead to the squire system of training. The feudal aristocrats sent their sons to the castle of another feudal aristocrat, often their lord, for training. This built bonds of loyalty outside the family ties that suppressed violence among the aristocrats and allowed them to more effectively defend their class interests against the king. The use of education not only to train but also to build group loyalty and loosen family ties is typical for an Educational Institution. The class power developed in this manner helped lay the basis or the re-establishment of republican government. The feudal aristocrats in many European countries, the most famous case is England, gained the right to sit as an assembly that could check the power of the king. These rights were eventually generalized to the adult population as a whole just as the rights of the Spartan Mess Members were generalized to all the adult male citizens of Athens. 3. Professional Soldier - Partially Dependent Specialist In Greece the citizen soldier laid the basis for democracy; in the modern world it was the citizen tax payer. The feudal aristocrats established there hereditary right over their fiefs. Therefore there were times when a small fief did not have enough men of the right age, and trained in mounted warfare, to fulfill its responsibilities to its lord. Thus the lord or king might receive payment in money which could be spent on mercenaries in lieu of knights. During the late middle ages, and early modern period, mercenaries became a dominant force on the battlefield. This opened a road to political power for the rising craft and merchant classes. As money gained control over the military the economic specialists rose to political power. In the modern period a battle cry for republican government was "taxation without representation is tyranny." The defender of the state was the taxpayer, not the soldier. This was reflected in the fact that the vote was given to property holders rather than veterans. The mercenary who would sell his services to the highest bidder was eventually replaced by another class of professional soldier attached to a single state. But ideally the professional soldier was attached in a subservient role. There are two basic governmental forms, civil libertarian democracy, and communist party dominated socialism, that qualify as steps leading to civil libertarian socialism and eventually optimalism. Because these two governmental forms are part of a process that may eventually lead to an optimal use of resources this paper sees them as healthy inhabitants of the modern world. In both groups the military is maintained in a subservient role. Therefore the economic interests gaining partial control over the military. 4. World Government Once again the paper must enter the uncertain future. Still there are some things that seem reasonably certain. For example, large military expenditures are not in the overall interests of the human race. A world government that could maintain peace while maintaining democracy and civil liberty would be economically advantageous. Under Socialism the electorate establishes a collective voting strategy that the economic interest of everyone will be respected by setting policy so as to maximize the social utility function. By widening the scope of the social utility function to include the interests of all people will be taken into account several advantages can be gained. First the cost of scientific research a common good can be spread to all of its beneficiaries instead of just those within a national boundary. Secondly, resources can be redistributed internationally to where they can do the most good. Food for the hungry is the most obvious example. Finally, military expenditures could be eliminated. The role of the state in mediating violence could be reduced to police activity. Thus he military, the traditional power source of the state, would become completely subservient to economic needs. Chapter 12 Religion to acceptance of Optimalism Tell me what you think in my guest book. |