The Meaning of World History and The Evolution of States of The Ancient World

Introduction. The article attempts to examine the main patterns and driving forces of state evolution using specific historical material from the evolution of states in the Ancient World. According to the author, identifying such patterns is difficult because the historical process cannot be identified with natural processes and phenomena that can be quantitatively described and formulated on this basis as universal laws. The author believes that it is more appropriate to use the category of the meaning of world history, on the basis of which the specific historical process is revealed in relation to various legal orders and legal traditions of the past, in particular to the states of the Ancient World, which are the subject of the study. Methodology and materials. The study of the subject is carried out on the basis of post-classical methodology developed by modern theorists and historians of law (S. V. Kodan, D. A. Pashentsev, A. V. Polyakov, I. L. Chestnov, et al). The main research methods used in this work include, first of all, socio-anthropological, phenomenological, cultural-historical, semiotic and other methods that complement the classical (positivistic) methodology traditionally used in literature. Results of the study and their discussion. The author identifies the main factors in the evolution of the states of the Ancient World, which include: firstly, the universalization of spiritual (moral, religious, legal, political and other) values; secondly, the improvement of the means of sign communication, which facilitates the transfer of cultural information to an increasing number of people and thereby involves them in legal and political communication; thirdly, the growth of the structural complexity of states, which is a response to the challenges created by the external, social and cultural environment; fourthly, the mutual influences of cultural traditions that facilitate the transfer of historical experience. Based on the conducted study, it is concluded that the transition to each subsequent stage of the evolution of the state contributes to an increasingly deeper and more complete disclosure of the meaning of world history, as well as the achievement of unity in diversity by humanity, which is the goal and purpose of historical development. Conclusions. The meaning of world history, revealed in the course of world-historical development, predetermines its purposeful nature. At the same time, the goal of world history, including the history of the states of the Ancient World, is a characteristic of the development itself, determining its general direction and main stages. It seems that such an understanding of the goal as the most complete disclosure of the axiological content of world history removes the question of the so-called “end of history”, achievable at least in the distant historical perspective.