The State : Its History and Development Viewed Sociologically

Summary: Influential German sociologist Franz Oppenheimer invigorated the intellectual discourse of the early twentieth century with the controversial ideas he sets forth in his masterwork, The State . In it, Oppenheimer rejects the centuries-old notion of the social contract espoused by political philosophers such as John Locke. Instead, he posits that the state is a tool of oppression via which the ruling classes exert their power over less fortunate groups