POLS 242 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Foregone Conclusion, Douglass North
17 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
A form of organization that has individuals operating and working under established, specified, and often complex rules. States identified with institutions rather than the personalities of their leaders. States are the ultimate authority within their specifically demarcated territories. Complete sovereignty: enjoy monopoly over the legitimate use of force within their territorial jurisdiction to intervene. Decided that states are independent of the pope and the catholic church. Before this, there were no sovereign states. States are not subject to any higher authority above them. The ability of the state to achieve its objectives: Tax the population (as needed for public functions) State that cannot or does not perform its expected functions (this is also a basic lack of. Well-functioning states are fairly autonomous yet are responsive to civil society. Ability to tax population to raise revenue. Ability to mobilize population for collective projects. Wars served all these purposes and led to rise of state.
