I spent the weekend discussing work on state capacity with a group of scholars and academics. Most of the discussion focused on what state capacity is supposed to mean. Different readings offer different definitions. And on some occasions, papers that define state capacity in one way later proceed to mean something else.
"Some scholars argue that some frequently used measures of state capacity are tautological, or contradictory (Cingolani, 2013, pp. 36-41; Kocher, 2010)."
Geloso, Vincent, and Michael Makovi. "State capacity and the post office: Evidence from nineteenth century Quebec." Journal of Government and Economics 5 (2022): 100035, note 8.
Citing:
L. Cingolani. 2013. The State of State Capacity: A Review of Concepts, Evidence, and Measures
Working Papers 53, UNU-MERIT.
M.A. Kocher. 2010. State capacity as a conceptual variable
"Some scholars argue that some frequently used measures of state capacity are tautological, or contradictory (Cingolani, 2013, pp. 36-41; Kocher, 2010)."
Geloso, Vincent, and Michael Makovi. "State capacity and the post office: Evidence from nineteenth century Quebec." Journal of Government and Economics 5 (2022): 100035, note 8.
Citing:
L. Cingolani. 2013. The State of State Capacity: A Review of Concepts, Evidence, and Measures
Working Papers 53, UNU-MERIT.
M.A. Kocher. 2010. State capacity as a conceptual variable
Yale J. Int. Aff., 5, pp. 137-145