The Evolution of Statehood : From Early States to Global Society

The monograph is devoted to the problems of origins, development and present condition of statehood. It also provides forecasts of political development in the coming decades. The book presents a new approach to the causes and models of the emergence of state and competing with it political forms (early state analogues) and new models of state evolution. Today in full swing are the processes of state's nature and functions change and countries' integration into supranational communities. In the last chapter there are explained reasons of the inexplicable, at first glance, phenomenon: why modern states voluntarily reduce their sovereign prerogatives. Without analysis of the statehood genesis and development, it is impossible to understand the course of human history and current state of World System as well as the possible directions of its transformation. So we hope the book will interest broad audience, including specialists in globalization studies, political anthropology, philosophy, future studies, historical sociology, and political studies, as well as anyone interested in history and modern political problems and global trends.