Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human HistoryAll societies must deal with the possibility of violence, and they do so in different ways. This book integrates the problem of violence into a larger social science and historical framework, showing how economic and political behavior are closely linked. Most societies, which we call natural states, limit violence by political manipulation of the economy to create privileged interests. These privileges limit the use of violence by powerful individuals, but doing so hinders both economic and political development. In contrast, modern societies create open access to economic and political organizations, fostering political and economic competition. The book provides a framework for understanding the two types of social orders, why open access societies are both politically and economically more developed, and how some 25 countries have made the transition between the two types. |
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ability balance basic natural bastard feudalism beliefs Britain British changes charters church citizens competition consolidated control constitutional countries courts created creative destruction credible democracy dominant coalition doorstep conditions economic and political economic organizations eighteenth century elections electoral elite organizations elite rights enforcement England Europe factions fee simple fee tail feudal formal fragile natural framework France freehold French Glorious Revolution groups growth ical identity impersonal incentives income individuals institutions interests intra-elite investiture crisis king king’s land law law for elites logic lords manorial markets mature natural military modern monopoly on violence navy nineteenth century open access orders open access societies organizational parliament perpetually lived organizations personal relationships policies political and economic political parties pope privileges problem rent-creation rents republican revolution rule of law seisin socage social order social persona sophisticated structure subinfeudation sustain tenant tenure Tilly tion transition proper violence Whig