Stationary Bandits and the Accidental Origins of the State

Most people imagine the rise of the state as a march toward enlightenment. But as Suicide of the West reveals, the truth is messier—and more interesting. The first states were not born of consensus or philosophy, but of necessity and power. In a world of chaos and violence, the strongest warlords discovered that settling down and extracting regular tribute was more profitable than endless plunder. Thus was born the stationary bandit—the ancestor of kings, presidents, and bureaucrats.



Order replaced chaos, but not out of virtue. The myth of the social contract—of free people coming together to form a government—was just that: a myth. Most states were imposed by force or necessity, not agreement. Property rights, too, emerged not from principle, but from rulers’ calculations. Protecting what people produced made everyone richer—including the ruler.

This arrangement was always fragile. Legitimacy depended on stories and rituals, but behind every law was the threat of force. The journey from bandit to bureaucrat is the foundation of civilization, but it is also a warning. Order is never guaranteed; it is always a negotiation. Vigilance is the price of progress.



Understanding the accidental origins of the state helps us appreciate both its necessity and its dangers. The story is not over—and the next chapter depends on us.

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