Customer Reviews

Mercenaries, Pirates, and Sovereigns

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mercenaries, Pirates, and Soverignity offers a very comprehensive analysis regarding the evolution of state-building. Thomson believes that modern nation-states achieved their virtual monopoly on the right and means to launch cross-border military action in the ninteenth century."In the six centuries leading up to 1900, global violence was democratized, marketized, and internationalized." (p.3). This citation establishes as solid base for her hypothesis: "the 'disarming' of nonstate transnational actors from heteronomy to sovereignty and transform states into nation states."(p.3). Janice Thomson's empirical evaluation is excellent--theoretically informed, elegant, and accurate. Without any doubt this is an important book.

If you only read a single book on the history of mercenaries, this is your book. Thin, a quick read, it will give you more insight and awareness into the modern era than any other book. A must have for anyone truly interested in historical or modern mercenaries.

Very comprehensive, this book is an attempt by the author to convince us that the nearly exclusive rights to violence contemporary states enjoy is a very new concept. Furthermore, he offers reasonable explanations as to why the change occurred.

My only criticism is that the first chapter is a tad bombastic, as the author clearly enjoys using high brow political science jargon to elucidate his thesis...nonetheless, as soon as you get into the actual history, you'll be hooked.