How did we get here? Weber identified a massive historical shift in how power is justified. He broke this down into three "ideal types" of authority:
To Weber, the state is the only entity that can successfully claim a within a given territory. If you use force without the state’s permission (like a vigilante or a gang), it’s a crime. If the state does it (via police or military), it’s "law and order." The Shift: From Persons to Papers Max Weber’s Theory of the Modern State: Origins...
The "secret sauce" of the modern state is . While we often use the word as a slur for slow paperwork, Weber saw it as the most efficient way to organize human energy. How did we get here