Description
Book SynopsisThe state, which since the middle of the seventeenth century has been the most important and most characteristic of all modern institutions, is in decline. From Western Europe to Africa, many existing states are either combining into larger communities or falling apart. Many of their functions are being taken over by a variety of organizations which, whatever their precise nature, are not states. In this unique volume Martin van Creveld traces the story of the state from its beginnings to the present. Starting with the simplest political organizations that ever existed, he guides the reader through the origins of the state, its development, its apotheosis during the two World Wars, and its spread from its original home in Western Europe to cover the globe. In doing so, he provides a fascinating history of government from its origins to the present day.
Trade Review' … a very readable account, [van Creveld] paints a most persuasive picture of the decline of the state and the transfer of its powers to a host of substitute guardians. It is an intellectually exciting and highly recommended book.' Law Society Journal
Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Before the State: Prehistory to 1300 AD: 1. Tribes without rulers; 2. Tribes with rulers (chiefdoms); 3. City states; 4. Empires, strong and weak; 5. Limits of stateless societies; Part II. The Rise of the State: 1300–1648: 6. The struggle against the church; 7. The struggle against the empire; 8. The struggle against the nobility; 9. The struggle against the towns; 10. The monarch's triumph; Part III. The State as an Instrument: 1648–1789: 11. Building the bureaucracy; 12. Creating the infrastructure; 13. Monopolizing violence; 14. The growth of political theory; 15. Inside the Leviathan; Part IV. The State as an Ideal: 1789–1945: 16. The great transformation; 17. Disciplining the people; 18. Conquering the money; 19. The road to total war; 20. The apotheosis of war; Part V. The Spread of the State: 1696–1975: 21. Into Eastern Europe; 22. The Anglo-Saxon Experience; 23. The Latin American experiment; 24. Frustration in Asia and Africa; 25. What everybody has …; Part VI. The Decline of the State: 1975–: 26. The waning of major war; 27. The retreat of welfare; 28. Technology goes international; 29. The threat to international order; 30. The withdrawal of faith; Conclusion: beyond the state.
