One outcome of the declining economic growth and rising political conflict of the 1980s has been a renewed interest in political theory and increased questioning about the durability of the capitalist state. More and more political scientists are critically assessing the prevailing pluralist vision of the relationships between the state and the economy. Is the capitalist state able to adjust to crises and contradictions? What is the role of the state in changing—deteriorating—economic circumstances? How should we understand competing interpretations on the relative autonomy of the state, the nature of property rights, the legitimation crisis?

This collection of five original essays by seven of the best-known political-economy theorists addresses the interconnections between the economy and the polity and embodies the leading theoretical approaches to the political economy of the state.

“The volume (with index and extensive bibliography) is thought provoking.”

—Choice

“Belongs in all academic libraries.”

—American Political Science Review

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“These interesting essays serve as a thoughtful reminder of the complex issues related to democracy and the modern capitalist state.”

—Ethics

“An outstanding set of essays. This highly informative, balanced, and practical anthology can be of considerable value to political sociologists.”

—Contemporary Sociology

“These are state-of-the-art essays by some of the foremost thinkers in this area. They provide incisive, insightful, theoretical contributions. The book will be invaluable to the large group of political scientists, economists, and sociologists working on political economy.”

—Jennifer Hochschild, author of What's Fair? American Beliefs about Distributive Justice and The New American Dilemma: Liberal Democracy and School Desegregation

“This is very much at the ‘cutting edge’ of current discussion of the theory of the state. It is not merely a codification of existing knowledge. Each essay takes us into new and unexplored terrain.”

—Charles W. Anderson, author of Statecraft: An Introduction to Political Choice and Judgment

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