Political Sociology
Hojjat Kazemi; mahdi mosakazemi
Abstract
According to the views of some historical sociologists such as Hintze, Weber, Tilly, Mann, Giddens, and Fukuyama, European wars from the 15th and 20th centuries have been a critical variable in the transition from feudal dispersion of power to the establishment of modern states. From this point of view, ...
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According to the views of some historical sociologists such as Hintze, Weber, Tilly, Mann, Giddens, and Fukuyama, European wars from the 15th and 20th centuries have been a critical variable in the transition from feudal dispersion of power to the establishment of modern states. From this point of view, wars and states' efforts to win them have materialized the idea of the modern state, strengthened state structures, and increased state influence in society. While emphasizing the usefulness of this point of view, the article seeks to show that focusing on the definite relationship between war and state-building can lead to oversimplification and unwarranted generalization, considering a more comprehensive range of wars, especially in non-Western societies. Historical experiences show that while some wars have strengthened the state-building process, others have weakened State Infrastructural Power. The article concludes that diversity in the impact of wars on state-building processes in different societies is influenced by other factors such as the type of war (whether the war is internal or external), economic and social conditions of warring states, the influence of the international environment, and the role played by foreign powers.
