Realism and World Politics

TABLE 7.1

Four types of states

State dimensions

Modern state

Postmodern state

Weak postcolonial state

Modernizing state

Government

A centralized system of

Multilevel governance in

Inefficient and corrupt

The modernizing states

democratic rule, based on a

several interlocked arenas

administrative and institutional

combine features of the

set of administrative, policing

overlapping each other.

structures. Rule based on

modern, the postmodern and

and military organizations,

Governance in context of

coercion rather than the rule

the weak postcolonial state.

sanctioned by a legal order,

supranational, international,

of law. Monopoly on the

claiming a monopoly of the

transgovernmental and

legitimate use of violence not

legitimate use of force, all

transnational relations.

established.

within a defined territory.

Nationhood

A people within a territory

Identities less exclusively

Predominance of local/ethnic

Brazil, China, India, and

making up a community of

national. Collective identities

community. Weak bonds of

Russia are major examples

citizens (with political, social

‘above’ and ‘below’ the nation

loyalty to state and low level

of modernizing states.

and economic rights) and a

reinforced. Transformation of

of state legitimacy. Local

community of sentiment

citizenship. Less coherent

community more important

based on cultural and historical

‘community of citizens’.

than national community.

bonds. Nationhood involves ahigh level of cohesion, bindingnation and state together.