The state as a system of governance: institutional evolution, origin and paradox of the dual nature of power
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26661/2522-1566/2026-2/36-11Keywords:
state, institutional evolution, governance, public administration, political economy, institutional dysfunctions, reformsAbstract
The article examines the state as a governance system characterized by a dual nature that simultaneously preserves social order and reproduces institutional dysfunctions. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing complexity of public administration under conditions of political instability and institutional transformation. The research explains why the state, created to reduce the costs of anarchy and ensure collective security, often becomes a source of contradictions related to power and resource concentration.
The purpose of the study is to provide a theoretical and empirical substantiation of the dual nature of the state through the integration of political philosophy, social contract theory, and institutional economics. The methodology combines comparative analysis, institutional and historical approaches, and political-economic interpretation, allowing the state to be examined both as a normative construct and as a mechanism of organized control.
The findings demonstrate that classical social contract theories explain the legitimacy of the state, whereas institutional approaches reveal its operational logic as a system regulating authority and redistribution. The study proves that institutional contradictions are not accidental but represent a stable feature of state evolution. Empirical observations, including the case of Ukraine, confirm that reforms reduce certain dysfunctions while generating new administrative and political imbalances.
The originality of the article lies in the development of an integrative analytical framework combining normative and institutional perspectives to explain the transformation of the state into a modern governance system. The practical significance of the research is related to public administration reform and improved accountability mechanisms.
JEL Classification: B52, D73, H11, P16.
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