Weber on Leadership
Talking Politics: HISTORY OF IDEAS
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The State, the Monopoly of Legitimate Violence
Weber tried to sum up the character of a state in just a few words. The two that tend to stand out to people are monopoly and violence. In a modern state, only the state is allowed to do violence,. To force people, if necessary, at the point of a gun, to do what it wants. That's hobsion. But crucially, it's a claim. The state claims to be able to do this, and a functioning state claims it successfully. When that happens, sovereign power and the people are locked in it together. It's a power that only can make sense because it's done in our name.
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