The State in Peripheral Societies

The growing significance of the state in peripheral societies1 stands in strong contrast to the lack of a materialist theory of the state which is essential for any meaningful concrete analysis of state behaviour. This lack is also evident in the few writings on the state in the peripheral societies. The present paper is intended as a contribution to carrying forward the debate on the state in peripheral societies, based on a criticism of John S. Saul's valuable contribution. In the first place we shall outline Saul's concept and critically examine its value in throwing light on the subject. Following on this we shall present our own view of the state in peripheral societies, starting with a systematic treatment of an issue already arising in the critique of Saul, namely, that of a materialist theory of the capitalist state-the state in peripheral societies also being capitalist (Part 2). With an analysis of the economic structure of the peripheral societies (Part 3), the basis for an analysis of the state in these societies (Part 4) is then provided