Reflections on the Influence of Stoic Thought in the Genesis of Public Law

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate in Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran,Tehran,, Iran.

2 Doctoral Student of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

10.22091/cpl.2026.15532.1104

Abstract

By transitioning from the Aristotelian "political animal" (homo politicus) to the "universal human" and proposing the concept of "universal natural law," the Stoic school established the ethical foundation of modern public law. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and a critical approach, the present study analyzes the theoretical foundations of this school and its impact on the genesis of the fundamental concepts of modern public law, subsequently examining its capacities and limitations within the sphere of public law. Findings indicate that the Stoics, by basing law on "Logos" (universal rationality) and delineating the "transcendental human," presented the first formulation of inherent dignity and cosmopolitanism. These ideas, particularly through Roman Law, exerted a profound influence on the formation of human rights and modern public law. However, the article argues that Stoic thought faces structural limitations that render it incapable of replacing modern theories of constitutional law. Finally, by revisiting "practical rationality" vis-à-vis modern "instrumental rationality," it is explained that Stoicism is applicable not as an institutional system, but as a "regulative ideal" and an ethical backing for legitimizing human rights and human dignity, critiquing unjust laws in contemporary jurisprudence, and enhancing the normative legitimacy of law.

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References

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