Historical Government: Origins, Evolution and Varieties

This chapter reviews the origins, evolution, and modern forms of government, and proposes a research agenda. It contends that rather than being a homogeneous form of patrimonialism, early government was diverse and, at times, fostered order and prosperity. Its subsequent development did not follow an ‘evolutionary’ path to rational-legal government but was characterized by innovation and frequent collapse. Successful modern states do not all look alike, but follow several different models, as historical states have done.