Does all political theory ultimately rest on myth? It seems as though most, if not all of the theorists we have studied in this course have some notion of mythology in their doctrines. The question thought should be; is a myth a necessary aspect of political theory? In my opinion it is. Most people in our society follow a mythological belief called religion. Whether you believe your form religion to be a true statement of history or simply a guideline from a fictional history, ultimately the origins of most religions are a myth. The most important aspect of religious belief is the creation myth. From the Christian myth of Adam and Eve to the Inca creation myth of god Con Tiqui Viracocha every religion has one, and as I will attempt to point out in this paper, because it is a foundation of our social and spiritual way of life the political theories that govern us must too rest on myth.
The first thinker I would like to look at is the first we studied, Plato. Plato used mythology continuously in his Republic. One of the most famous myths Plato put forth was the "Noble Lie" or "Magnificent Myth". The Noble Lie was a creation myth that was to be told to young children in order to create a unified society yet at the same time creating class distinctions. It was meant to replace any national traditions which any community has and replace it with one that is state imposed. This is a much more literal example then the other thinkers I will discuss.
The first modern political thinker Niccolo Machiavelli taught that the foundation for a state is an individual's instinct for self preservation. The effective ruler is one who succeeds in identifying this instinct with the instinct for the preservation of t ...