The idea of the State is crucial to our understanding of 20th century political thought and practice, and there are now signs of a growing awareness of the interest and intrinsic importance of the State in political theory, international politics and jurisprudence. This book provides an overview of certain key problems and theories of the State, presenting them in a structured and systematic manner, and in doing so it aims to make the ideas and value of the State more comprehensible to the student of politics.

An introductory discussion on the nature of the State is followed by chapters devoted to particular theories: the absolutist, constitutional, ethical, class and pluralist, with the aim of analysing, elucidating and criticizing each. Finally, the discussion turns to the question 'Is a theory of the State necessary?'

Andrew Vincent is Professor of Political Theory at Sheffield University and Director of the Sheffield Centre for Political Theory and Ideologies. He has authored several volumes on political theory, including Theories of the State (Wiley-Blackwell, 1987), Nationalism and Particularity (2002) and The Nature of Political Theory (2004).