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State, The Hardcover – March 1, 1998

by Anthony de Jasay (Author)
4 out of 5 stars 2 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 330 pages
  • Publisher: Liberty Fund (March 1, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0865971706
  • ISBN-13: 978-0865971707
  • Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.1 x 9.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,408,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 starsA Seminal Critique of the State!
By Kevin Currie-Knight VINE VOICE on August 24, 2010
Format: Hardcover
I don't speak lightly when I say that Anthony de Jasay's "The State," deserves consideration alongside some of the great works of contemporary political thought. That it is not already may possibly stem from its pessimistic conclusions on two points: (a) the government is not an instrument of the people but must necessarily be its own entity with its own concerns, and (b) any state that wants to stay in power must grow in order to do so. When last comes to last, Jasay is probably best seen as something of an anarcho-capitalist who believes that the best solution may be to leave us to govern ourselves (and offers interesting reasons, stemming from game theory, why we may be able to do this).

So, why see the state as its own entity with its own concerns rather than as an instrument of the people? Well, first, there is the basic reason enumerated by other public choice theorists that the state - as any organizatoin - is a collection of individuals who have their own interests, and while they may be "public servants," they are also their own people. Second, any state that is worth a salt (even a minimal government) must be concerned with having enough power to retain power, even if this is only a well-intentioned interest in staying around to maintain order. That, in itself, means that it has at least one (self-serving) concern that is outside of its housekeeping duties.

It is here that Jasay discusses the problems with social contract theory: the idea that government exists because people in a state of nature came together and collectively decided, in the interests of security, to cede at least some power to government. First, why would people do this?Read more ›
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3.0 out of 5 starsThree Stars
By Jorge on September 5, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
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