Social Control in Khajeh Nasir Tusi's Thought

Human being is a social creature and his collective life endurance requires considering order and accepting legal and ethical frameworks. In this regard, the interest contrasts and possible differences among human beings in social life makes social control an inevitable issue. Thus it seems essential to propound thinkers’ viewpoints in this regard and reflecting on them in order to reach a desirable order in social life. In this direction, the present article raises the question: How have Khajeh Nasir’s spiritual approach and his concern for justice and ethics affected his attitude towards social security and establishing better social control? The findings indicate that as a Shiite sage and theologian, Khajeh Nasir Tusi tried to propound more positive solutions such as education and nurturing in family and society, emphasizing nurturing moral virtues and struggling against moral rascality, attention to the role of state and social institutions in creating a secure environment in society and finally concern for economic issues and the necessity of solving financial problems of people in order to raise the necessity of social control. He has a comprehensive and applied approach towards the issue.