The role of the state in contemporary liberal democracies

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

8 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

03/18/2009

Category :

Social studies

Sub category :

Sociology

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Summary :

Introduction
The term 'government'
Pluralist theories of the state
1. Paying particular attention to the inputs from citizens
2. Conventional pluralism
3. The concept of neo pluralism
Marxist explanations of the state
1. The enduring conflict between the two main classes in a capitalist society
2. The ruling class's control over the economy and its products
3. Interest in the broad relation between capital and the state
New Right theories
Hayek: The founding father of the 'Austrian' school of economics
Conclusion
Bibliography

Abstract

The role of the state within contemporary liberal democracies is an issue that perhaps more than any other has attracted the attentions of the social and political sciences. The concept itself is not accorded universal acceptance and there are a plethora of theoretical and ideological conceptualisations which seek to explain not only the constituent elements of the state, but also how the state functions and who actually influences its workings. In the past, much discussion has been devoted to the question of whether the state should be seen as an entity distinct from that of government. For some, the government is perceived as the executive force in society which acts through the structure of the state in pursuing particular objectives. For others, the state is merely a personification, a reflection of the nation as symbolised by the government. In order to explore these and other issues, it is my intention to examine the perceived nature and role of the state, from different theoretical perspectives.