The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution

For a writer often maligned for a now infamous thesis regarding the end of history, the standard and insight of the book blew me away. That thesis, taken from an original essay that later spawned a book, made to seem so out of touch by the events of September 11th, is no where near the level of this book.

The title promises a lot, and yet it delivers. The book functions as an entire course on pre history up to the French Revolution. I wish I had read it before my studies.

The central thesis here posits three planks for modern state formation - a strong and capable state, the rule of law, and state accountability to citizens - and guides us through historical instances of all three forming separately and independently without a modern state forming until sixteenth century England. To its self aware credit, it does this by not focusing on Europe at all (avoiding Whig history), with the main polities studied being China, India, the Muslim world, and only later Europe. The scope is breathtaking, the entire global is at least touched upon.

Clear and consice on the development of the state vs tribal distinction, just as importantly, on its non linear development. Clearly demonstrated with global examples displaying unique contexts.

The absolutely central (yet with differing results) role of war, religion, institutions, geography, economics, and sheer chance are highlighted expertly. Many shocking one off facts and stats!

A real strength of the book is evident here, it is great in dispelling popular theories with historical and contemporary evidence, such as the tradagy of the commons. It seems the tradagy only started in modern times and in what we consider developed societies. Also with insisting, against classical social contract thories, that there never was a primordial, pre-social time. Humans were social from the get go, a biological basis for society and politics. Clearly seem in our ape cousins.

The work glides between polar opposite thinkers like Heyek and Marx with ease, dispelling errors and highlighting pertinent points - expanding them even - without pushing a political agenda of its own.

In many ways this is an update on his mentor Huntington, who stressed political development is separate from economic and social development, breaking classic modernization theory. It goes further, stressing the importance of ideas, stressing the historically contingent nature of development.

Scholarly and academic, the work would go well with the more free wheeling and expansive Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.

The book hints as to what comes next and why things change - the near miracle of sustained economic growth per capita creating new social groups after breaking out if the Mathusian trap. To be explored in the next volume that I've already ordered. Pleasantly surprised at this brilliant book.