Download or read book An Essay on the Modern State written by Christopher W. Morris and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-07-29 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This important book is the first serious philosophical examination of the modern state. It inquires into the justification of this particular form of political society. It asks whether all states are "nation-states," what are the alternative ways of organizing society, and which conditions make a state legitimate. The author concludes that, while states can be legitimate, they typically fail to have the powers (e.g. sovereignity) that they claim. Christopher Morris has written a book that will command the attention of political philosophers, political scientists, legal theorists, and specialists in international relations.