The concept of the state and the system of government in the Middle Ages, Saint Thomas Aquinas as a model

Al-Sheikh, Bassam Hazem Abdul Majeed

doi:10.37651/aujlps.2025.156278.1435

	The concept of the state and the system of government in the Middle Ages, Saint Thomas Aquinas as a model
Journal of Anbar University for Law and Political Sciences
Article 7, Volume 15, Issue: 1 part 2, June 2025, Pages 189-209 PDF (721.66 K)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.37651/aujlps.2025.156278.1435
Author
Bassam Hazem Abdul Majeed Al-Sheikh^*
University of Mosul / College of Law / General Department
Abstract
Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) was one of the most prominent thinkers of the Middle Ages, and he played a major role in developing the concept of the state by integrating Christian thought and Aristotelian philosophy. His vision of the state was part of his broader understanding of the world, which was based on the harmony between reason and faith. The most prominent features of his concept of the state are that it is part of the divine order, God is the ultimate source of all authority, and the state exists to guide man toward the common good in accordance with the divine will. He sees the state as an instrument for achieving justice and social organization that enables individuals to live in harmony and achieve moral virtues. Aquinas distinguished between four types of law: eternal law, natural law, human law, and divine law. The state relies on human law to organize society, but this law must be compatible with natural law. The research relied on the legal approach in studying the legal situations and ideas in the Middle Ages, the period in which Saint Thomas Aquinas lived, as well as the analytical approach in analyzing some texts.
Keywords
Concept of the State; Aristotle; St. Thomas Aquinas; Middle Ages; Eternal Law

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