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Single Idea 19851

[from 'The Social Contract (tr Cress)' by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 2. Religion in Society ]

Full Idea

No state has ever been founded without religion serving as its base.

Gist of Idea

Every society has a religion as its base

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], IV.8)

Book Reference

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.223


A Reaction

It is not clear to me that the ancient Greek cities had religion as a 'base', though they all had a religion, and expected conformity. Religion doesn't figure much in Thucydides. Communist Russia was the first explicitly atheist state, I think.