The Coercion-Based Explanation of the Modern State: How China Achieved Political Unity While Europe Remained Fragmented

1. Introduction

One of the most enduring puzzles in comparative politics is the question of why China was able to achieve political unity while Europe remained fragmented into a large number of separate states. A number of different explanations have been proposed to answer this question, but one of the most influential is the coercion-based explanation of the modern state.

The coercion-based explanation of the modern state holds that political unity is a function of the state’s ability to extract resources from its population through coercion. This theory has its roots in the work of Max Weber, who argued that the key difference between successful and unsuccessful states was their ability to extract resources from their populations.

This theory has been further developed by a number of scholars, who have applied it to explain the political unity of China and the fragmentation of European states. In this essay, I will first provide a theoretical overview of coercion-based explanations of the modern state. I will then apply these explanations to China and European states to show how they can help us understand the different outcomes in these two cases.

2. Theoretical overview of coercion-based explanations of the modern state

The coercion-based explanation of the modern state holds that political unity is a function of the state’s ability to extract resources from its population through coercion. This theory has its roots in the work of Max Weber, who argued that the key difference between successful and unsuccessful states was their ability to extract resources from their populations.

Weber’s work was based on a comparative study of China and Europe, and he argued that the reason for China’s political unity was its strong centralized state, which was able to extract resources from its population through taxes and tributes. In contrast, he argued that European states were unable to achieve similar levels of centralization, and as a result, they were unable to extract sufficient resources from their populations to sustain political unity.

This theory has been further developed by a number of scholars, who have applied it to explain the political unity of China and the fragmentation of European states. Scholars such as Charles Tilly and Michael Mann have argued that Europe’s fragmented political landscape is a result of its inability to develop strong centralized states, while others such as Christopher Bayly have argued that China’s political unity is due to its strong imperial system, which was able to extract vast resources from its population.

3. Application of coercion-based explanations to China

There are a number of reasons why coercion-based explanations are particularly well suited to understanding China’s experience with political unity. First, as noted above, China has a long history of centralized imperial rule, which has allowed successive regimes to extract large amounts of resources from the population through taxes and tributes. Second, China has also had a long history of Anarchy”, which has made it difficult for rival states to challenge its hegemony. Third, China’s geographical size and lack Of easily defensible borders have made it difficult for would-be conquerers to mount successful challenges to Chinese rule.

All Of these factors have contributed To make China an extremely difficult place To achieve political unity, but they have also made it possible for successive regimes To extract large amounts Of resources from The population through coercion. This has allowed China To maintain A high level Of political unity over The centuries, even in The face of significant internal and external challenges.

4. Application of coercion-based explanations to European states

Coercion-based explanations are also well suited to understanding the fragmentation of European states. As noted above, Europe has a long history of decentralized political structures, which have made it difficult for centralized states to extract resources from their populations. In addition, Europe’s geographical size and large number of easily defensible borders have made it easy for rival states to mount successful challenges to each other’s hegemony.

All of these factors have made it difficult for European states to develop strong centralized states, and as a result, they have been unable to extract sufficient resources from their populations to sustain political unity. This has led to the fragmentation of Europe into a large number of separate states, each of which has been unable to achieve the level of political unity that China has been able to achieve.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, the coercion-based explanation of the modern state holds that political unity is a function of the state’s ability to extract resources from its population through coercion. This theory has its roots in the work of Max Weber, and it has been further developed by a number of scholars since then. The theory provides a useful way of understanding the different outcomes in China and European states, and it can help us to explain why China was able to achieve political unity while Europe remained fragmented into a large number of separate states.

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