Very simple question: What is the earliest documentation of the formation of government? If that is answerable, is there a way to explain how it formed?
Yes, many, many, many people, classical liberalists, etc. state that the formation of government is by pillaging, fraud, coercion, etc. It’s really good when debating anyone though to have some sort of evidence of such a case happening. What better case than the earliest documentated case? =O
So, anyone?
Last I heard about this it was not clear and agreed upon. It goes back farther than the advent of writing.
Well that’s why I specified a documented case. I am quite sure it is a lot farther back - but what is the earliest documentation we have? Or at least, what is considered the earliest documentation.
The Code of Ur-Nammu? It’s the oldest surviving legal document in the world, and it cites the king for legitimacy. Apparently the Code of Urukagina is older, but its only known by reference.
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Wikipedia has something on this.I’m not sure how reliable it is and some parts are statist propaganda but here’s the parts that seem to be right:-
“For many thousands of centuries when people were hunter-gatherers and small scale farmers, humans lived in small, non-hierarchical and self-sufficient communities.”
A guy called David Christian tries to link the rise of government to increase in population size but I don;t buy it.He does however hint that government arose around the point where early humans shifted from nomadic lifestyles to settled agriculture.
more:-
“The exact moment and place that the erectional phenomenon of human government developed is lost in time; however, history does record the formations of very early governments. About 5,000 years ago, the first small city-states appeared.[8] By the third to second millenniums BC, some of these had developed into larger governed areas: Sumer, Ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley Civilization, and the Yellow River Civilization.[9]”
This has led me to think that the idea that Oppenheimer and others have suggested is probably correct.It seems highly possible that government arose when nomadic peoples savaged farmers and realized that by setting themselves up as rulers they would have a fixed income and wealth without the travel and battles etc.
what do other people think?
Wiki cites as early examples of states :-
Ancient Egypt—3000 BC[9]
Indus Valley Civilization—2600 BC[9][21]
Yellow River Civilization (China)—2000 BC[9]
Jiroft Civilization-3rd millennium BC
Norte Chico civilization-3000 BC[22] ".
I hope this helps
It took people this long to think that self ownership may be a good idea?
I think the first state may have been Eridu in ancient Mesopotamia. See my article Cradle of the State.
I think the first state may have been Eridu in ancient Mesopotamia
What about Jericho, Byblos, or Damascus? I don’t have time to fact check at the moment but off the top of my head I think these are all Neolithic cities that may pre date Ubaid culture.
If that is answerable, is there a way to explain how it formed?
A quickie answer: Humans are more or less naturaly hierarchical. Mix that with a location (such as the Mid East) that has predictable rainfalls and enough of a geographical condition to subsidise sendatary lifestyle and the ingredients are good for civilization.