The Modern State and Its Monopoly on Violence
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23587283 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Andreas Anter (University of Erfurt, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Pages | 226-236 |
| Publication date | 2019-02-11 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | Oxford Handbook of Max Weber (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190679545.013.13 |
| OpenAlex | W2946962860 |
| ISBN | 9780190679545 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
Weber defines the state as a political institution that claims successfully on the monopoly of violence. The chapter shows that this definition is a result of Weber’s historical studies revealing the monopoly as the decisive criterion, which distinguishes the modern occidental state from all other historical forms of domination. The monopolization of violence by the occidental state was the result of a long-term process in which the local holders of powers were expropriated by a central force. Comparing the worldwide situation of present political communities, however, the Weberian state is rather the exception than the rule. State-free territories are facing political communities with a high degree of statehood. The chapter points out that particularly for democracies the maintaining of the monopoly of violence is of fundamental importance since it guarantees that legitimate decisions have the chance to be enforced.
Criminology · Economics · Microeconomics · Monopoly · Political science · Programming language · State (computer science) · Computer Science · Political Conflict and Governance · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · War, Ethics, and Justification
| Citations per year | 1.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2020 - 2025 (6) |
| Highly cited | No |