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| Author | Robert Filmer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Divine right of kings |
| Published | 1680 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | 978-1409952374 |
Patriarcha, or The Natural Power of Kings is a book by the English philosopherRobert Filmer. It was likely begun in the 1620s and completed before the outbreak of theEnglish Civil War in 1642 but it was only published in 1680 after theRestoration. The book defends thedivine right of kings on the basis that all modern states' authority derived from theBiblical patriarchs (whom Filmer saw asAdam's heirs), history and logic. Concurrently, he criticized rival theories claiming the basis of a state should be theconsent of the governed orsocial contract.
The book describes an arrangement ofpatriarchy at every level ofhuman society, and argues that this is natural. Thestate is like a family in which kings are like fathers with subjects who are like children.[1]
John Locke and others attacked what they saw as the absurdity of Filmer's views.[2] The first of Locke'sTwo Treatises of Government consists mainly of criticism of Filmer. Locke found Filmer's account of political authority unworkable, arguing that it could not be used to justify any actual political authority, since it is impossible to show that any particular ruler is one of Adam's heirs.[3]
Patriarcha remains Filmer's best known work. R. S. Downie considers Filmer's attacks on contract and consent as explanations of political obligation to be plausible, and finds it unfortunate that Filmer's belief in Adam's kingship has obscured them.[2]
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