POLI 231 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Modernization Theory
17 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
THE MODERN STATE
Max Weber: "A human community that successfully claims the monopoly of the legitimate use
of fore ithi a gie territor
Weer: The oder state also has ratioal-legal authorit hih estalishes state poer as a
distinct sphere, wielded by the state institutions
This is as opposed to earlier fors of politial authorit hih relied o a leader’s harisa is
which there was no clear separation between the private and public sphere
Fukuyama: examines the states ability to plan and execute policies and to enforce laws clearly
and transparently. Are state elites accountable?
Robert bates identifies some prerequisites for political order
Rulers ust hoose to eplo the eas of oerio to protet the reatio of ealth rather
than to prey upon it nd when private citizens choose to set weapons aside and to devote their
time instead to the production of wealth and the enjoyment of leisure
This suggests the importance of a strong, impartial state, and the emergence of an upwardly
mobile society.
How do these concepts relate to modernization theory?
The Neo-Marxist View
Neo-Marxist scholars argued that the state represents an agglomeration of political and
economic elite power, and the power of key interest groups within society
This means that whatever the state does, it does it on behalf of these powerful groups.
For Neo-Marxists, even when the state takes steps to improve the lives of the power classes, it
is doing so to ensure stability so the powerful groups can profit more
The Neo-Weberians
• State is an independent actor with its own goals and interests
• Lots is dependent on wether state institutions are extractive or inclusive
• Inclusive institutions seek to represent most or all citizens and promote development
• Extractive institutions help elites extract wealth and fail to create incentives for people
to save invest and innovate
The State as an Idea:
• Is the state a phsial orgais or does it also help to ostitute the ore idetities of
its subjects
• Esele of affetie orietatios, iages, ad epetatios iprited i the ids of
its sujets
• Monopoly over the use of force but also social reach
• u-i
Joel Migdal: state power in relation to social control
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
