Explores the nature of European politics in the context of the origin and institutional development of the European state system. This book covers the historical background of the European democratic nation-state; its governing institutions and practices; and, efforts to unify the continent.
This introduction to contemporary politics examines the historical construction of the modern territorial state. The authors fuse accounts of governing practices, technological change, political economy, language and culture into a narrative of the formation of specific state forms.
State Formation and Transformation in Historical Perspective
Focusing on the relationship between warfare and state formation, this text explores how military technology influences political structures. Grounded in the bellicist approach, it posits that war is an inherent aspect of human experience, with the threat of aggression from neighboring states acting as a catalyst for the development of organized governance. The book delves into the dynamics that shape states in response to external threats, highlighting the historical significance of conflict in political evolution.
The interplay between warfare, military technology, and state formation is the focus of this text. Theoretically grounded in the bellicist approach to the study of war and state, which posits that war is a normal part of human experience, the book argues that the threat of war by predatory neighbors has been the prime mover of state formation.