Strong Societies and Weak States: State-Society Relations and State Capabilities in the Third World

Events in Afghanistan and elsewhere have shown that many states are weak and that their weakness in relation to their societies has consequences that affect us all. I found it useful in looking at Russia and other countries in the former Soviet empire. Migdal provides a framework for understanding that weakness and how it came about. An academic who writes fairly well, Migdal develops his theory and then develops it using examples from Africa and the Middle East. Highly recommended for those who approach current events with an analytical bent.