The Role of the State in the Economy

In the 19th century it looked like the economy was this fundamental force in society which determined the state. Walter Sheidel described in his latest book, Escape from Rome, that there were multiple different states emerging in early modern period and competing with each other. And so therefore the state takes on a more marginal role. But I think what has subsequently been revealed is that the state was in many stages quite heavily involved - especially coming out of the interwar period.