L3. States, Governance, and Collective Action

Question 1

What the 3 main threats to states

Answer 1

• Globalization (some global companies are drawing in profits large than the GDP of countries)
• Internationalization (political organizations that sit above their member states, ex. EU, UN)
• Regionalization: the transfer of power to political organization at smaller scales

Question 2

Attitude towards states in last 30 years

Answer 2

During 90’s people started move away from state-structure. Then 911 happened and the idea that states were under attack came about. Led to more focus paid to the study of states and borders. Also led to the tightening of borders. State and state boundaries took on a new significance

Question 3

State vs. Government

Answer 3

State: a specific type of political unit
- more steady
- can persist without government
Government: governing authority of a political unit
- ever changing
- can persist without state

Question 4

What are the two problems that states are credited in solving?

Answer 4

Social order
- Thomas Hobbes: sees life without a state “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”
- creates social infrastructure on a mass level
Collective action
- systems in place that create a social good/public benefit (ex. police officers)
- taxation

Question 5

What are the 4 theories about the origins of states?

Answer 5

• contract theory
• political market theory
• norm-based
• coercion and protection

Question 6

What is contract theory?

Answer 6

• attempts to explain the origin of states
• Idea that states formed through rational agreements among equals
• state functions like contracts
• no historical evidence of this

Question 7

What is political market theory?

Answer 7

• attempts to explain the origin of states
• suggests that political actors, like consumers and businesses in economic markets, pursue their self-interests and engage in transactions to achieve their objectives within the political arena.
• draws parallels between political processes and market mechanisms
• no historical evidence of this

Question 8

What is norm-based theory?

Answer 8

• attempts to explain the origin of states
• States emerged from norms of reciprocity that develop spontaneously and naturally
• shared norms and practices in groups eventually produced state practices (ex. mutual aid and reciprocity)

Question 9

What is the coercion and protection theory?

Answer 9

• Developed by Tilly (1985)
• idea that historical coercion and violence led to the origin of states
• States are rooted in war making
• Rooted in organized crime: government offering protection from violence they generate (pay protection fees, protector keeps extra and accumulates wealth)
• historical evidence
• formation of European states comes from military elites trying to obtain services and protection money from those around them