St. Thomas Aquinas: Political Philosophy and Divine Order
St. Thomas Aquinas’ Political Philosophy
St. Thomas Aquinas’ political thought is heavily influenced by Aristotle, yet it presents key differences. For St. Thomas, the ultimate natural order is God. Here’s a breakdown of their contrasting views:
Differences with Aristotle
The Perfect Community
Aristotle: The state is the perfect community, fulfilling all human needs and leading to happiness.
St. Thomas: Distinguishes between the family, the city, and the kingdom (a grouping of cities), with the kingdom being the perfect community.
The Concept of Peace
Aristotle: Peace is not a necessary condition for a perfect community. Political life can be peaceful under state law, even with the possibility of war.
St. Thomas: Peace is a perfect condition for a community. He outlines three requirements for a society to thrive:
- A society united by peace.
- A society led to do good.
- A society with sufficient resources for proper living.
The End of Man
Aristotle: Happiness and fulfillment are achieved through the state.
St. Thomas: The end of man is supernatural, achieved in the afterlife.
Divine Origin of the State
For St. Thomas, the state is a natural institution based on man’s social, rational, and free nature. Its purpose is to lead people to the common good, a just and virtuous life. He emphasizes:
- Man is a social and political being, born to live in community.
- The division of labor is necessary.
- Language is a key indicator of man’s social nature, making him more social than herd animals.
If society is natural, so is government, which is necessary to guide people towards the common good. Since all natural things come from God, the state is ultimately God’s work. This contrasts with St. Augustine’s view that the state is a consequence of original sin. St. Thomas does not advocate for absolute power of the church over the state, but rather a dependency.
The origin of power is divine, and its organization should provide for the common good. This requires:
- Peace within the state.
- Peace with other states.
- Unified leadership.
- Meeting the material needs of individuals.
- Morality.
The state should not seek individual happiness, as man is free by nature and must seek his own happiness. The state achieves its ethical end through laws, which are of various types:
Eternal Law
The divine order of the universe, regulating all beings.
Natural Law
Known through moral consciousness, guiding appropriate actions in line with the Ten Commandments and human nature (survival, reproduction, social living). This requires legal standards set by humans, known as moral law.
Divine Law
Revealed to Jews and Christians.
Positive Law
State laws, an extension of natural law. The government’s function is to apply natural law, supported by sanctions. If positive law contradicts natural law, it is a perversion of law and does not need to be followed.