Public Interest and State Legitimation: Early Modern England, Japan, and China

The book explores how state formation and early modern politics were shaped by the state's obligation to domestic welfare, with a public interest-based discourse of state legitimation providing a shared basis for negotiation and collaboration. This normative platform allowed subordinates to demand that the state fulfill its duty and redress welfare grievances, leading to fundamental political reforms and transforming the nature of politics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The obligation of the state to prioritize domestic welfare had a profound impact on the formation of states and the politics of the early modern era. This book, drawing on a diverse range of historical scholarship and primary sources, explores the prevalence of a public interest-based discourse of state legitimation in early modern England, Japan, and China. This normative platform served as a common ground for state and society to negotiate and collaborate on achieving good governance by providing public goods such as famine relief and infrastructure facilities. The terms of state legitimacy created a limited but significant political space for the ruled, allowing them to demand that the state fulfill its publicly proclaimed duties and address welfare grievances.

In response to these demands, conflicts among diverse dimensions of public interest emerged, leading to the mobilization of cross-regional and cross-sectoral collective petitions. These petitions, justified by the same norms of state legitimacy, called for fundamental political reforms and transformed the nature of politics. Subordinates used petitioning and protests as means to assert their rights and hold the state accountable for its actions, leveraging the power of the collective to advocate for change.

The discourse of state legitimacy not only shaped the distribution of power and resources within states but also influenced the broader political landscape. It facilitated the formation of alliances and coalitions, as different groups with shared interests came together to advocate for their priorities. It also created a sense of shared identity and purpose among the ruled, as they recognized the state as a vehicle for achieving their welfare and well-being.

However, the discourse of state legitimacy was not without its challenges. It could be manipulated by elites to justify their own interests and exclude marginalized groups from the political process. It also limited the scope of political reform, as the state's obligation to domestic welfare often overshadowed other concerns such as social justice and human rights.

In conclusion, the obligation of the state to prioritize domestic welfare had a profound impact on the formation of states and the politics of the early modern era. This book demonstrates the prevalence of a public interest-based discourse of state legitimation in these regions, which served as a common ground for state and society to negotiate and collaborate on achieving good governance. While the discourse of state legitimacy had its limitations, it created a space for subordinates to demand their rights and hold the state accountable for its actions, ultimately shaping the political landscape of early modern Europe.

Weight: 470g
ISBN-13: 9781009334556