POLS 2100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ruhollah Khomeini, Jared Diamond
20 Mar 2016
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Since the dawn of humanity, people have relied on some form of political organization for the past few centuries, modern states have been the dominant expression of that relation. Provide services such as welfare, the construction of roads, schools and hospitals tax its citizens so that it can perform the above functions. Let"s focus on three elements that are found in varying degrees in virtually all states: power, legitimacy. Max weber"s definition of a state: the organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory. States protect you from outside threats (that is why they have armies) And provide order inside of states (that is why they have police forces) And that is why they need to be stronger (ie. have a monopoly) than anyone else. One you have something strong enough to provide order . Then you are secure enough to do other things like go for walks in the park or engage in commerce.
