I am the state. I am state? : NevilleGoddard 2022-11-15

"I am the state." This phrase, often attributed to Louis XIV, the "Sun King" of France, embodies the belief that the monarch is the embodiment of the nation and holds ultimate power within it. This concept of the divine right of kings, in which the ruler's authority is derived from God rather than the people, was a cornerstone of absolutist rule in Europe for much of the modern era.

However, the idea that the individual is subservient to the state and exists solely for its benefit has also been used to justify oppressive regimes and the suppression of individual rights. In the 20th century, totalitarian governments in Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and elsewhere used this idea to justify their dictatorial rule and the persecution of those who opposed them.

Today, the concept of the state as a higher power to which individuals owe their allegiance is largely rejected in favor of a more democratic and decentralized form of government. In modern liberal democracies, power is derived from the consent of the governed and the state is meant to serve the interests of its citizens.

Despite this shift towards more egalitarian forms of government, the idea that the state is supreme and its citizens are beholden to it persists in some corners of the world. In these societies, the rights and freedoms of the individual are often subordinated to the goals and priorities of the state, leading to the suppression of dissent and the erosion of civil liberties.

Ultimately, the belief that "I am the state" represents a dangerous and outdated way of thinking. In a modern, democratic society, the state exists to serve the needs and protect the rights of its citizens, not the other way around. It is the responsibility of all individuals to work towards building a society in which power is truly held by the people and the state serves as a means for the common good, rather than an end in itself.