GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

734 ETHICS AND POLITICS: THE MODERNS
State, because they are more complete, powerful and per*
vasive than other types of State.
The significance of the assertion, that the only State
which really is a State is the State in its true or ideal
nature, lies in the use which is made of it to justify a demand
for a greater development of the State and an increase
in its powers. Thus Dr. Bosanquet tells us that "more of
the State . . . and not less, is required within communi-
ties". Whatever tends to restrict the State is, therefore, to
be deprecated, and any proposed diminution of its powers
to be resisted.
But (i) the argument entails a re-introduction of
the fallacy exposed in (A) above, that the State represents
a final form of human organization. If it does not, and if
its power and prestige constitute a hindrance to the
movement ofmankind in the direction of a more embracing
type of political organization, the conclusions that the most
ideal State is that which is the most complete, that is the
most totalitarian, and that what is required is more of the
State and not less, do not follow, (ii) Even if we were to
admit that the most complete State is the most totalitarian,
and that this kind of State is desirable, the admissions
do not constitute a ground for Bosanquet 's conclusion that
die ideal State will be "the supreme community" having
"no determinate function in a larger community".
So far as the realization of the "true or ideal nature"
ofthe State in actual practice is concerned, it is a matter of
common observation that contemporary totalitarian States
which seek to embody the principles of idealist theory
do in fact have relations to other States; it is also noticeable
that these relations tend to be more and not less hostile
than those subsisting between non-totalitarian States.
Nor is it hard to see why this should be so. The more
complete discharge of the functions claimed for the State
by idealist theory can only result in the State becoming
more efficient as a State, more absolute in respect of its
powers, and, therefore, more devoid of morality in its
external relations and more menacing to the freedom of