The positive testimony of history is that the State invariably

Albert J. Nock, with the sharp eye of a historian and the voice of one who unmasks illusions, declared: “The positive testimony of history is that the State invariably had its origin in conquest and confiscation. No primitive State known to history originated in any other manner.” In this striking claim, he pierces the veil of romance that so often cloaks the rise of nations. He reminds us that behind the pageantry of crowns and banners lies the ancient truth: the State was not born of harmony, but of power, taken by force and cemented by seizure.

The essence of this teaching is sobering. While many would like to believe that society arose from gentle agreements or noble compacts, Nock declares that history testifies otherwise. The first States were not born of reasoned consent, but of conquest, where the strong subdued the weak, and of confiscation, where the wealth of the vanquished was taken to sustain the rule of the victor. Thus, what we call civilization was often laid upon foundations of blood and plunder.

History offers many mirrors of this truth. Consider the Roman Empire, whose beginnings lay not in peaceful covenant but in war and subjugation. Rome grew by seizing lands, enslaving peoples, and demanding tribute. Even its laws and institutions, admired for their order, were forged to maintain the power gained through conquest. Or look to the Norman conquest of England in 1066, when William seized the land, divided it among his followers, and in doing so laid the foundation for the English state. Both Rome and Norman England confirm Nock’s claim: that the State emerges not from fairness, but from domination.

And yet, there is wisdom in facing this hard truth. For to understand the origin of the State is to understand its nature. If it was born of conquest, then it will always carry within it the impulse to command. If it was nourished on confiscation, it will always hunger for wealth to sustain itself. Nock does not speak these words to sow despair, but to awaken vigilance. For when we forget how the State began, we may forget to guard ourselves against its excesses.

Let this lesson be passed to future generations: do not be deceived by the outward robes of power. Remember that behind every throne is the story of conquest, and behind every treasury the memory of confiscation. This is not to deny that States can serve, or that they can bring order—but to remind us that their birth was not gentle. The positive testimony of history is a warning carved in stone: freedom must always be guarded, for the State that was born in conquest will, if left unchecked, return to it.