Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely

[rafi]

Just thought it would be interesting to note/summarise some of the different ways of understanding the mitzvah of appointing a king and the introductory words “when you come to the land…you will say, ‘let us appoint a king like all the other nations around us’”.

 

1)      King is good/mitzvah  – the request for a king to be “like all the other nations” is a prophecy of the incorrect way in the king would be requested in the future in the times of Shmuel – to be “like all the other nations” has idolatrous connotations (see Ramban quoting the opinion of R Yehudah). However, the monarchy in essence is a positive thing.

2)      King is good/mitzvah – there is nothing negative in the statement  “like all the nations”. It reflects a normative national desire for someone to lead the nation, a strong  leader who will organise, protect and strengthen them. “Like all other nations” reflects the common denominator between any state, the difference lies in the purpose not in the set up. According to Rambam the problem in the times of Shmuel was the rejection of Shmuel, nothing else.

 

3)      King is neutral – similar to the above, but it is not a king per se, but rather the concept of a centralised form of government which is critical –after entering the land, the people will naturally request a form of political system as they seek to develop as a nation - in line with the standard norms this took the form of a king, but the king is not essential to the system. By addressing the request of the people in the affirmative, the Torah is confirming the need to build up the people into a nation, though the specific system remains the people’s choice. The Torah is confirming that the political system of the “other nations” will be an important milestone. The Torah then sets out, that if it is to be in the form of a king then his power needs to be restricted in line with the following pesukim.

4)      King is neutral – political systems are not really important – they can be either positive or negative. The main point is that when people ask for a king as they naturally would, there is a danger of arrogance which the Torah attempts to address by imposing certain restrictions.

 

5)      King is bad – this is the position of the Abarbanel – he compares it to the mitzvah of yefat toar (i.e. better if never performed)  – the statement “like all the other nations” represents the fundamental problem of a king, that it is merely to  create national power and prestige. As a result, the king obtains absolute power, and as we know “absolute power corrupts absolutely”. The ideal is therefore a democracy.

[Daniel Westbrook]

For some reason when I was young I was taught the shita of the Ramban as the only option.  

I discovered this Abarbanel about a year ago, and admittedly certain pesukim in Shmuel do sound like the whole idea of a מלך is a bad thing.  But his view is extremely difficult throughout ספר שופטים, where the lament בימים ההם אין מלך בישראל, איש הישר בעיניו יעשה is repeated again and again (interesting that Shmuel wrote these pesukim, despite rebuking בני ישראל strongly for asking for a king).  It is also a difficult read in the Torah.

The Rambam seems the most logical for rationalists like me (not surprising), and also fits best in most of the pesukim.  Thank you Rafi for finding it.

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[Josh Freiberger]

The reading of the Abarbanel should be viewed in the context of his general anti-monarchical stance.

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Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:36:15 +0300
Subject: Re: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely
From: dzwes...@gmail.com
To: beisp...@googlegroups.com

[Ganz, Rafi (UK - London)]

Indeed, the very long version is in Shmuel

 

Rafi Ganz
Deloitte LLP
Tel/Direct: +44 20 7303 4832
www.deloitte.co.uk

 

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[Josh Freiberger]

It's clear from there and elsewhere that his views were influenced in part by his personal experiences. Not saying that's a reason to disregard them, just that it's interesting to note.

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From: rg...@deloitte.co.uk

To: beisp...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely

Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:11:38 +0000