İNŞA

Abstract

This article analyzes the city–body analogy, which is mentioned in
classical political thought and whose roots go back to antiquity, and analyzes
its implications in terms of the structure and functioning of the political and
social order. In the analysis, the elements of the analogy are first listed and
then a brief analysis of the words city and state is given with a special reference
to al–Fārābī’s texts, who can be considered the philosopher who deals with the
analogy in the most detailed way. Afterwards, it is claimed that the similarity
can be read and deepened mainly through three concepts: Function, management,
and harmony. Accordingly, similar to the functioning of the body, the
state has parts that have unity and integrity within themselves. The parts are
not reducible to each other, nor are the functions of the state to function as a
competent institution cancelable. Management performs the task of unifying
the functioning. There are two key elements to unifying functioning. The first
is that the totality of information that makes functioning possible is managed
by a center. The second is that the will that ensures the actual continuity of
the functioning is formed in a single center and can influence all organs and
structures and direct them in the same direction. Harmony functions both to
eliminate or reduce the internal contradictions of governance and to enable
the maintenance of the governing activity by linking those who govern and
those who are governed.