Gov. 1A-5: Is the Family a Legitimate Form of Government?

Is the Family a Legitimate Form of Government?

    In a culture dominated by the influence of the state, it is a common misconception that the state is the final sovereign. However, if we seriously study human government it becomes clear that society is regulated by a number of other institutions. the most universal among these is the family. Every human society we know of has been governed by the family. Recently the validity of the traditional family has been called into question. This blog will examine the definition of a government, its proper function, and whether the family meets them legitimately.

    So what Is a government? Most people will define government as the state, or at least inseparable from it. Furthermore, they believe that the Government is intrinsically involuntary, or at least governed by a social contract. However, this is not the case. The proper definition of a government is "a body that conducts the policy, actions, and affairs of a state, organization, or people." This definition would have us reexamine our perspective on the role of government in society.

    A definition like this allows us to explain what a government is, but this cannot be very descriptive about its role in society, or if that role is legitimate. In order to understand this, we turn to those who study such relationships. Gary North, a PhD. in History and respected economic philosopher said all governments function on two premises. The authority to exclude or place sanction, and the authority to command obedience from members. The family certainly requires those powers to act, but we need to be more descriptive.

    North also said governments are faced with five fundamental questions. The first is sovereignty, who is the final authority in the family. Within most cultures, this is the patriarch. There is the question of Higherarchies, or chain of command. The elders rest at the top of the hierarchy and there is a clear chain of command down through the structure to the youngest child. Similarly, the law is determined by the parents, its application is locally monopolistic. Under law is the category of sanctions, which are the right of parents to grant. Finally, the patriarchal family structure establishes a succession of authority, ensuring the government has a future. Governments also have an economic system, in the case of families, this is joint-ownership. 

    Given these descriptions of the role and challenges faced by governments, we can demonstrate that the family is a legitimate institution. It meets both the definition and the role of government in society. There is the possibility of a marxist challenge to the family on the grounds of power politics. I cannot address this here but the marxist objection is illegitimate. A further examination of te topic is necessary to prove the fundementality of family government to civilization, but suffice to say, the family is by all accounts a form of government.