Society and the State in the Philosophy of Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun

Abstract

The evolution of societies, politics, and the issues associated with governance,
authority, and war constitute an important part of Ibn Khaldun’s philosophy of history,
which he incorporated into his philosophy of human civilization (ʿumrān basharī) and
the transformations and changes affecting it. Consequently, his philosophy was not
detached from his conception of the cyclical succession of history. His perception of
the development of society and the state was therefore consistent with this approach.
He considered that society and the state undergo significant stages of development
during their formation, influenced by a set of cultural, social, religious, and economic
factors. The central concept upon which he relied in interpreting the social and political
transformations affecting both the state and society is ʿasabiyyah (social cohesion or
group solidarity), which constitutes a key notion for understanding his philosophy of
history, human civilization, and the issues related to them.