pretation be more rational than what has gone before, or that conclusion more logical, are questions whose decision must rest with my readers. If, however, my book has any peculiarity, it is its method. It is a comparative study. It is an attempt to apply the method, which has been found so productive in the domain of Natural Science, to Political Science and Jurisprudence. I do not claim to be the first author who has made this attempt. It is the method chiefly followed by the German publicists. In the French, English, and American literatures, it is, on the other hand, relatively new. Boutmy, Bryce, Dicey, Moses, and Wilson have, indeed, already broken the ground, but the field is capable of a much wider, and also a more minute, cultivation. It is here that I have chosen to lay out my work, and I trust it will be found that some slight advance has been made in the development of the comparative method in the treatment of this domain of knowledge. My most grateful acknowledgment for aid in the preparation of this work is due to my friend and colleague, Prof. Dr. Munroe Smith, who, in the midst of other arduous duties, has read the proof sheets of the entire text, and has made many most invaluable criticisms and suggestions upon it, which, almost without exception, have been accepted and incorporated in the work. My most sincere thanks are also due to my friend and former pupil, Dr. Robert Weil, who has, with great care and fidelity, verified all the references, and prepared the table of contents, the table of cases, and the index. His kindly aid has greatly lightened my labors, and his exactness has preserved me against many an error. WINOOSKI HIGHLANDS, MONTPELIER, VT., August, 1890. JOHN W. BURGESS. TABLE OF CONTENTS. The term "nation" and its abstract definition Explanation of the definition: geographic unity and ethnic unity defined Where the geographic and ethnic unities coincide the nation becomes a Definition of the term "nation" and "nationality": only Europe and North America will be treated herein. I. The geographic unities of The Geographic Unities of North America. 1. The Mexican Tableland; II. The Ethnographic Unities of Europe. 1. The Ethnography of the Iberian The Ethnographic unities of the second, third and fifth geographic unities 18-21 PAGE III. The correspondence of the political divisions with the physical and ethnographic divisions of Europe and North America. 1. The Iberian Peninsula: Spain and Portugal 2. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; 3. France, Belgium, 7. The Central District: The German Empire, Denmark, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Holland, Austria, the eastern part of Russia 8. The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Servia Principles of political psychology. The nations of modern Europe and the 1. Political psychology of the Greek and Slav: community sovereignty; 2. Of the Celt: Clanship their highest political organization; they also 3. Of the Latin: the Universal Empire their great political institution; 31-33 33, 34 The union of several states occupying one geographic unity The disintegration of a state occupying several geographic unities The development of ethnic homogeneity in a state composed of several 2. Teutonic nations are particularly endowed with the capacity for estab- lishing national states; and hence are entrusted with the mission of 3. Interference in the affairs of peoples that manifest incapacity to solve the problem of political civilization with completeness, is justifiable Distinction between the idea of the state and the concept of the state. Definition of the term "state" from the standpoint of the concept I. Principles according to which the portions of mankind forming states are 1. All-comprehensiveness; 2. Exclusiveness; 3. Permanence; 4. Sov- Characteristics of sovereignty: (a) It is unlimited (b) It is the source and support of individual liberty The principle of the sovereignty of the state is opposed because publicists CHAPTER II. THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE. The theological, social and historical theories of the origin of the state: the The earliest form of the state is the theocracy: contribution of Asia to Political organization of the world by religion The social compact is only a force in the later development of the form of The transition stage; the absolute monarchy Confusion in the minds of publicists between state and government In the transition from one form of state to another, the point of sovereignty moves from one body to another: the example of English history The conditions in America more favorable; American publicists not suffi- Von Mohl's criticism of the Aristotelian proposition Schleimacher's vindication thereof Von Mohl's classification Criticism of von Mohl Bluntschli's classification: the Idiokratie The mixed form of state Reason for its rejection Bluntschli confounds state and government: the Compound State (Zusam- Criticism of the Compound State and its subdivisions: states having colonies The Aristotelian proposition is correct and exhaustive. Social conditions which precede and make possible the democratic state CHAPTER IV. THE ENDS OF THE STATE. Criticism of von Holtzendorff's proposition The ends of the state are, 1. Primary; 2. Secondary; 3. Ultimate The Ultimate End: Hegel's Sittlichkeit: the World State The National State the necessary predecessor of the World State; the per- The doctrine of natural rights; liberty does not exist outside of state organ- Recapitulation of the ends of the state in historical order: government, lib- erty, the development of national genius, world civilization. BOOK III. THE FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF GREAT BRITAIN, THE UNITED STATES, GER- Reasons for treating this topic as a subject of Political Science instead of as Wherein the constitution of Great Britain differs from that of other states |