The Ruler’s Dilemma: The Origins of the Main Constraints Concerning Extermination of Dissents Muhsin ALTUN
Journal Title: Ankara Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi - Year 2017, Vol 8, Issue 2
Abstract
This article, with a particular reference to the rise of early states and civilizations in southern Mesopotamia besides some relevant historical and anthropological finding, focuses on the main constraints that a Ruler confronts when he motivated to exterminate dissents. Such a Ruler needs to go beyond these constraints which largely derive from centralized state functions such as judiciary, security, and redistribution. We then suggest this heavy-cost project could be achieved through distortion of institutions' original purposes i.e. courts, police-army, financial-economic units. To this end, Ruler should first adopt dialectically an antagonistic character on his behalf to destruct the ground of legitimacy on which he stands indeed (1), generate plans and scenarios on a state-making basis (2), and should invoke guidance of gastro-politics, revelations of priests and wizards in interaction with his dependents which are more than simple followers (3). However, both textual and archaeological records provide little to suggest all these led the way to the goal concerned but more to existence of an opposition balancing Ruler’s destructive tendencies. Furthermore, they imply that Ruler, instead still remaining as a real ruler, should equip himself with some gangster-style skills in this vein. Relying on this, we suggest thinking about the nature and the limits of Ruler’s power under any regime may allow us to understand possible challenges and degree of success to which such an assertive goal is vulnerable.
Authors and Affiliations
Muhsin Altun
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