State Capacity

This chapter evaluates state capacity from a long-run historical perspective. We discuss how to define and measure state capacity. We explain how the establishment of a high-capacity state can enhance domestic peace, improve material prosperity, and promote more pluralistic norms. We describe which factors have obstructed the historical development of high-capacity states. Finally, we characterize ways in which society can harness the various public goods that a capable state can provide, while reducing its potential to act despotically