Hi Entropy,

Obviously, I'm not speaking for BW, but....

Quote Originally Posted by Entropy View Post
1. Based on all the discussion of "good governance," I get the impression that the responsibility for the condition of "good governance" rests solely on whomever is trying to govern. This suggests that a population's motivations for entering into insurgency are always reasonable and therefore should be accommodated. Is this the case? If not, then how exactly do populations fit into your theory, especially in cases where the goals for two populations are mutually exclusive or are unreasonable?
Well, populations are not singular; even in families ! I think that they key would be to understand it along the lines of entering into an insurgency always appears reasonable to them (a part of the population) at that point in time. Think back to all the dickering and confusion during the American Revolution for a good example.

Quote Originally Posted by Entropy View Post
2. Where does a state's capacity to provide a credible monopoly on violence fit in?
No state actually has a monopoly on violence. In the US, for example, each individual state has its own armed forces, as do many municipalities (aka police). Private corporations also have the capability of violence, either from their own security forces or by hiring them or by manipulating local politicians to use theirs. The idea that the "state", which is an illusion anyway, has a monopoly on violence is just one of those myths that have been propagated since the development of modern states.

Cheers,

Marc