Abstract

The category «state of nature» is analyzed as one of the basic in foreign and Ukrainian political thought. It is noted that complex research of this category as the goal of this paper may be achieved by formation the system of categories. In addition to the category «state of nature» there are such categories as «natural law», «natural human rights», «social contract». Natural law is scrutinized as one of the fist categories which was applied to analyze a state of nature in Antiquity. It is made up a conclusion that the idea of state of nature was related to natural law concept development. Besides, correlation between natural and positive law is studied. It is noted that this correlation is optimal in the theory of constitutional state, where a state guarantees human rights which are based in human nature and are as essential part of a state of nature. In the paper it is stressed that political philosophers, who represent different scientifi schools in political thought history, consider a state of nature as initial stage regarding human being in the framework of state. At that, existence of natural law and human rights as natural phenomena is described as ultimate cause of consideration of a state of nature as primary as compared to a state. It is depicted the tendency in political theories of certain of the philosophers, for example J. Locke, to portray a state of nature as «golden age» of the human race. It is placed high emphasis on the idea of dependence of interpretation of the category «state of nature» by different political thinkers from their characterization of human nature. A lot of attention in this article is devoted to the analysis of the category «social contract». A social contract is researched, according to ideas of before-mentioned political philosophers, as mechanism of transition from a state of nature to a state. In conclusion it is ascertained, that the category «state of nature» is essential part of world political thought, which allowed scrutinizing a number of different phenomena – from human nature to form of government.