The State Tradition in Western Europe: A Study of an Idea and Institution

Kenneth Dyson

First published in 1980, this book compares ideas of the state as they have been articulated in different countries and historical periods across Europe. Its disciplinary focus concerns the interface between political science, law, and history, and it distinguishes between English-speaking writers and continental Europeans who have thought about the state. The study shows how different conceptions have effected authority and power, and, more practically, institutions and policies.This edition includes a new introduction by the author.

Related Subjects

• European and UK Politics

Series

• ECPR Classics

About the Author

Kenneth Dyson is research professor in the School of European Studies at Cardiff University, Wales, and codirector of the Research Unit on European Governance, Identities, and Public Policies (EGIPP). He is a fellow of The British Academy and the Royal Historical Society and an academician of the Learned Societies of the Social Sciences. His most recent work concerns the role of ideas in European public policies, and his most recent books are The Euro At 10 and (with Martin Marcussen) Central Banks in the Age of the Euro, the key theme being continuity and change in the relationship between states and European integration.

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