F. Meinecke’s theory of State: models of the modern State under the «Staatsnation» and the «Kulturnation» doctrines

Abstract

F. Meinecke gives us two models of the modern-day State: the modern Nationalstaat arising from a «sense of politics» and the modern Nationalstaat with a «cultural imprint». In the former, the State (founded under the Staatsnation doctrine) is essentially political; it is «formal» in character, with a «random» and «voluble» content, based on «contractualist» underpinnings, whilst its unitary nature stems from a «Jacobin» conception. In the second, however, the State (founded under the Kulturnation doctrine) is considered to be a «cultural product», has a «substantive character (presupposing a «fixed, non-voluble» content related to the cultural ur-substance, conceived as a «basic founding fact» of the State), stemming from a «Jacobin» conception with intensely «organicist» underpinnings. The importance of Meinecke’s theory of State is that these typified models serve to categorise the majority of cases of formation and evolution of the modern State in Europe and Latin America from the 19th century to the present time.