This document discusses different perspectives on defining and conceptualizing the state. It examines Max Weber's definition of the state as having a monopoly on legitimate violence over a territory. It also explores the concepts of internal and external sovereignty, different types of state legitimacy, and the impact of state authorities. The document presents views from political philosophers like Hegel, Rousseau, and Easton, and discusses debates around state capacity, autonomy, and variations in strong, weak, and failed states. Country cases like Nazi Germany, Iraq, Russia, Tuvalu and South Sudan are used to illustrate different state models.

1. POL 252-01
Fall 2015

3.  What is the State? Does it even exist?
 If it does exist, how can we define and
categorize it?
 How do different country cases illustrate the
State?

5. The State touches nearly
every aspect of one’s life.

8. Max Weber
“An institution that
claims a monopoly of
legitimate violence
over a particular
territory.”

10. NAZI GERMANY HUSSEIN’S IRAQ

13. RUSSIAVS.TUVALU SOUTH SUDAN

15.  Internal Sovereignty
 Ultimate source of authority within jurisdiction
 External Sovereignty
 Boundaries acknowledged by other states
and international system

17.  State-Society Relationship
 Types of Legitimacy
 Traditional
▪ Queen Elizabeth II
 Charismatic
▪ Fidel Castro
 Rational-Legal
▪ Barack Obama

19.  Hierarchy, Organization, and Accountability
 Formation of U.S. Government
 Branches
 Departments
 Impact for StateAuthorities

22.  “The Divine Idea as it
Exists on Earth”
 Argument focused on
will and morality
 Subscribers are
“idealists”
Friedrich Hegel

23. JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU POLICE POWER
 State regulation of
behavior
 Health, Safety, Welfare,
and Morals

28.  Not one defining view of the State
 Counter to essentialist and reductionist
theories of the State

30. Who are they?

31.  Linguistic Analysts
 Radicals
 Behavioralists

32.  Group of U.S. political scientists in 1960s
 Studying politics is akin to natural science
 Politics should NOT make value judgments
 What would be their main objection to
studying the State in the terms we just
discussed?

33. David Easton

37.  State as Partisan Actor
 State as Guardian
 State as Instrument

40. STATE CAPACITY
 Ability of state to wield
power in order to
accomplish its goals
STATEAUTONOMY
 Ability of state to wield
power independently of
the public of other actors

42.  Strong States
 Weak States
 Failed States
 Quasi-States

46. Germany
United
States
United
Kingdom
Japan

48. Brazil
Mexico
Russia
India
China

50. Iran
Nigeria