The State Above All, and Security as the Foundation of a Dignified Life   Captain Mohamed Hassan Al-Tahir  

 

Date: May 2, 2026

 

Amid Sudan’s accumulating sorrows, and the loss of trust and safety caused by the exceptional circumstances facing both nation and citizen, a fundamental question arises:

– The relationship between state, governance, and citizenship

– The role of security and trust between citizen and state as one of the most crucial elements of the political equation, and as a key requirement for the establishment of states throughout history

Security is not merely the absence of fear; it is the essential condition that allows citizens to live with dignity and to contribute to building their homeland without anxiety or intimidation.

French King Louis XIV embodied this in his famous idea: “I am the state, and the state is me.” He represented absolute rule, reducing the state to his own person and making his will the supreme law. Yet this model, despite its apparent strength, was fragile because it ignored the fact that a true state is not built on the whims of an individual, but on institutions that guarantee security and justice for all. Hence came the historical shift toward the idea of “The State Above All,” where law and institutions are the reference—even for the ruler himself.

This raises the following question:

– Was Louis’s statement justified, or was it merely a necessary prelude to the later historical transformation? Or were there other reasons that made his style of rule a natural reflection of the realities of history and geography?

Throughout history, geography has been one of the most important factors shaping security and influencing governance. This is evident in the comparison between Athens and Sparta:

Athens:

– Its maritime location opened it to trade and culture.

– Its security was tied to freedom and political participation.

– Athenian democracy was a unique experiment, where citizens shared in decision-making and felt their security was linked to their voice and rights.

Sparta:

– Its inland location, far from the sea, made it more vulnerable to land-based threats.

– Security was tied to strict military discipline, where the state stood above the individual, and order was the sole guarantee of survival.

This comparison shows that geography shapes political systems, but it does not erase the core question:

– How can the state achieve security and justice for its citizens?

The answer lies in lessons from history, echoing the words of Antarah ibn Shaddad: “Have poets left any place unvisited?”

⚖️ Lessons Learned

– The Athenian model: Freedom and political participation strengthen trust between citizen and state.

– The Spartan model: Discipline and military strength may provide security, but weaken citizenship if justice is absent.

– The French model of absolute monarchy: Reducing the state to one person leads to tyranny and plants the seeds of revolution.

In Sudan today, a stable state cannot be built without restoring trust between citizen and state—through fair institutions that place security above all, not as a tool of repression, but as a guarantee of dignified living.

🌟 Conclusion

A true state is not shaped by the ruler’s desires, but by what law and institutions ensure in terms of security and justice. “The State Above All” is not a political slogan, but the distilled wisdom of long historical experience—from Athens and Sparta to France, and now to Sudan’s reality. What is required today is to reshape the relationship between citizen and state on the basis of trust, whose most vital pillar is security—because security is the first condition for building a homeland that rises with hope, not weighed down by sorrow.