The State

On June 23, 2016 U.K. citizens voted in a referendum (52 to 48%) to leave the European Union. Since the formation of the European Union in 1993, three and one-half million jobs were brought to the U.K., half of British imports were supported, and equal pay ensured for men and women and the poorest communities in the U.K. received billions in redevelopment monies. (The New Yorker, July 4, 2016, The New York Times July 3, 2016) There are parallels between the results of the U.K. referendum and the 2016 presidential candidacy of Donald Trump. Both have been associated with “patriotism” by some. 

 Would Robert Reich (See his Huffington Post article) agree? How would he describe these events in terms of the “State” discussed in Chapter 7 of our text.

Learning Resources and Links 

This article discusses how tribalism evolved into nation statehood, but the modern nation state has declined because of technology and competing tribal interests.

The New Tribalism and the Decline of the Nations State http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/the-new-tribalism-and-the_b_5020469.html

This chapter covers the “origin of the state as well as the modern state's relation to capital, military power, and the prospects of democracy.” 

Chapter 7: The State