State and Rationality in the Political Reflection of New Age

Abstract

In the article the worldview basis of new European conception of state is being analyzed. Rationalistic tendencies in the European culture are recognised to be a key factor, which has determined the specifics of understanding of essence and goals of state. For the political teachings of New age state appears to be a garant of reasonable principles keeping in the societies’ life. Many authors linked the inevitability of conflicts between people in the natural state with the effect of irrational passions. The idea of state and it’s realisation in the form of mechanism, based on the contract, were determined by the fear of chaos and the threat of violence in the natural state. The main goal of state, which was understood by many thinkers of New age as safety guarantee and life’s rational organization, required the extension of sphere of management impact and control. So, being closely connected with the rationalism, new European conception of state undergoes
change in the situation of modern worldview’s crisis.