The History of Government from the Earliest Times: Empires, monarchies, and the modern stateNo one has hitherto had the breadth of imagination and intellectual boldness to describe and analyse government throughout recorded history and throughout the world. This unique study of government is the culmination of the work of the late S. E. Finer, one of the leading political scientists of the twentieth century. Ranging over 5,000 years, from the Sumerian city state to the modern European nation state, five themes emerge: state-building, military formats, belief systems, social stratification, and timespan. The three volumes examine both representative and exceptional polities, and focus on political elites of different types. Empires, Monarchies, and the Modern State (Books Four and Five) opens with Tokugawa Japan and thence reviews the evidence of Ch'ing, Ottoman, and Mughal Empires, before turning to facets of the re-creation, `modernization', and transplantation of the European state model. It concludes with the synoptic review of `Pathways to the Modern State'. Professor Finer's cogent descriptive analysis offers both an invaluable reference resource and an exhilarating journey across time and space. |
Contents
Overview | 1065 |
Tokugawa Japan 16001745 | 1077 |
The Golden Century of the Ching 16801780 | 1129 |
Copyright | |
14 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
absolute administration American appointed army Assembly Austria authority bakufu became Britain British bureaucracy called Castile central Ch'ing China Chinese Church civil colonies common constitution Council court Crown daimyo despotism devshirme effect eighteenth century elected electors emperor England English Enlightened Absolutism Enlightenment entire established Estates Europe European executive feudal fiscal force France French gentry German governors grand Hindu History Ibid imperial Indian individual instance institutions jagirs Janissaries Japan kapikulu king kingdom land legislation legislature London Louis Mamluk Manchu mansabdars matters Mehmet II military million ministers modern monarchy Mughal Mughal Empire Muslim Napoleon nobility officials Ottoman Empire Palace Paris parlements Parliament peasants political population princes provinces Prussia reforms regime religious Republic Revolution royal rule rulers samurai Sejm sharia Sheikh ul-Islam shogun social society Spain sultan taxation territory timariot tion Tokugawa towns tradition troops ulema vassals village vizier zamindars