The State Its History And Development Viewed So... -

Oppenheimer starts by saying there are only two ways for humans to satisfy their needs:

To Oppenheimer, the State is essentially "the organization of the political means"—a tool used by a victorious group to systematically exploit a defeated group.

The State did not begin because people sat around a campfire and agreed to follow rules for the common good. Instead, it was born from . The State Its History and Development Viewed So...

Oppenheimer wasn't a total pessimist. He believed that as the world became more interconnected through trade, the "Political Means" would eventually fail. He predicted the State would eventually transform into a "Freemen's Citizenship"—a society where the government no longer exists to help one class exploit another, but simply to manage common interests through the "Economic Means."

The State promotes the idea that the rulers are divinely chosen or naturally superior to keep the subjects from revolting. 5. The End Goal: The "Freemen's Citizenship" Oppenheimer starts by saying there are only two

This book, written by German sociologist and published in 1908 (English translation in 1914), is a classic of political sociology. It challenges the "social contract" theory and offers a more cynical, power-based origin story for how governments began. Here is the "story" of the state according to Oppenheimer: 1. The Two Ways to Live

Working, producing, and exchanging (peaceful trade). Oppenheimer wasn't a total pessimist

The warriors decide to settle down. Instead of robbing the farmers once, they "protect" them from other raiders in exchange for a permanent tribute (taxes). This is the transition from . The conquerors become the nobility, and the conquered become the subjects or serfs. 4. The Development