THEOCRACY - "Rule by God"

Theocracy is the type of Government that deals with the rule by God, wherein rule is by religious leaders who interpret the God’s Will.

A theocratic government is the government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided. Leaders are mostly, members of the clergy, with the state's legal system is based on religious beliefs.

Theocracy signifies the belief in governance, where religion or faith plays the dominant role.

Theocracy originates from the Greek theokratia, wherein theos means God and kratein means to rule, hence theocracy is the rule by God or Government by God.

The concept of theocracy was first coined by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who attempted to explain to Gentile readers the organization and political system of the Jewish commonwealth of his time.

He ordained that a Government should be a strained expression, which is called theocracy wherein the authority and power are ascribed to God and persuaded all the people to have a regard to Him, as the author of all good things.

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Theocracy is a form of Government wherein a religious leader claims to religious authority and rules according to the interpretation of God.

In a theocratic form of Government, the civil leader is believed to have a personal connection with the religion or belief which is followed by the civilization, from which leaders are selected. Through the religious doctrine which specifies the Government as the leader and allows the leader to rule in a religious manner and based on interpretation of God's Will.

Theocracy is where the God is the ultimate source of authority with a representative person creating Laws in accordance to the religious texts. Non-believers are often ostracized, if not down-right persecuted or killed.

For wielding power, there needs the power within the organized branch of the respective religion which holds power in the country.

Modern Example: Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Vatican City, Yemen. Afghanistan is where theocracy exists with Islam as the official religion of the country, with the major foundations of the political institution of Afghanistan being based on Islamic Sharia Law. In Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a theocracy Government. Mauritania is an Islamic republic with the legal system of the country being based on Sharia Law.

Historic Example: Egypt and Tibet are one of the numerous forms of historic examples where kings represented and even incarnated the deity. In Egypt, the king was considered a divine or semi divine figure who ruled largely through priests. Numerous other historic examples include early American civilizations such as, the Mayas, Toltecs, Aztecs and Natchez.

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Further Analysis

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Individuals are chosen by citizens but the decisions are made by the religious beliefs of the leader elected.

Religious: Relating to or believing in a religion.

Theocracy: Government ruled by or subject to religious authority.

Religious authority: Power resides to religion and is based on religious beliefs.

State of Nature: The state of nature is a concept used in moral and political philosophy, religion, social contract theories and international law to denote the hypothetical conditions of what the lives of people might have been like before societies came into existence.

Social Contract: An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits