Description
Theories of “state formation” abound in academic literature, desperately attempting, in my view, to prop up the rulers who ultimately certify them, control their research and often pay their salaries. The kings of the old eras had panegyrics and modern rulers have state-certified academics. (Panegyrics were long, ridiculous documents praising rulers. If you’ve ever tried to read the dedication of the King James Bible, you’ve seen one.)
Rulership as we know it had a beginning, and that beginning is not lost to the mists of time; its origins are visible and knowable, and by the time you finish this examination, you will have seen them.