Chapter 3

Max Weber's definition of state

"Monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory" -Individuals need to either acquire the ability to use force themselves or make an arrangement with someone who can.

Civil Society

-A space in society outside of the organization of the state, in which citizens come together and organize themselves -EX: Labor unions, social clubs and other voluntary groups, in churches etc

Why is Civil Society important?

-Allow groups of citizens to analyze politics and make claims on the state

Problems with Civil Society

-Can resist state-building efforts by leveraging their power to avoid taxation, etc

State

-Characterized by centralized control of the use of force, bureaucratic organization, and the provision of a number of public goods

Bellicist Theory

-Charles Tilly -State created by war -For states to rise they have to: 1) Political Administration must be partly centralized 2)Extraction of revenues from the underlying population must be dramatically enhanced 3)State must develop the ability to mobilize the pop. in collective endeavors

Traditional function of states

-Defense -Policing -Taxation -Order, Administration, and Legibility

Characteristics of a state with high capacity

-Established monopoly on the use of force -Properly functioning bureaucracy, with low levels of corruption and irregularity -Rule of law is maintained

Modern States vs Earlier forms of state

-European feudalism -Hierarchical ties, little standardized taxation, few standing armies

Bureucracy

-Has individuals operating and working under established, specified, and complex rules EX:DMV

Diffusion-Culture

-Ideas about how organizations should be structured play an important role

Legitimate Violence in a State

-In a society with a state, violence is concentrated in the military and/or law enforcement. Well functioning states, interpersonal violence is lower than in other systems

World Society Theory

-John Meyer -Basic organizational features of the state system are cultural and have diffused globally

State Capacity

-Measurement of state's ability to accomplish its goals

Importance of Bureucracy

-Most efficient way to organize collective action in pursuit of common projects -Less functional bureaucracy=lower state capacity

Impersonal

-Not closely identified with the personality of an individual ex: treating member of the population as citizens not as who they are Modern states cannot claim the constitution is just a manifestation of his or her will

Diffusion theory-Bellicist Theory

-Once states were formed as war-making machines, expect them to rapidly out-compete rivals because of their skill -EX: Military and technological capacity

Rule of Law

-Political system in which the law is consistently applied equally to all

Diffusion Theory

-Practice or idea spreads locally, nationally, and globally

Ismorphism

-Quality that two or more organizations have by virtue of being structurally very similar

Sovereignty

-States are understood to be the ultimate authority within their specifically demarcated territories, but also due to the different ways they act -Monopoly on the use of force -What states do

Spruyt's argument

-States rose up as a product of both economic changes and political conflict -States did things that were good for their long-term economic development (standardizing currencies) -Mutual empowerment

Diffusion- Economic

-States spread to serve the interests of the international capitalist class

Failed States

A state that is unable to function as a state

Illegitimate Violence in a State

EX: If it is your neighbor and he or she doesn't hold an official position

Key components of Modern States

Extensive bureaucracy, centralization of violence(law enforecement and military), and impersonality