1 Angola, Cambodia, Liberia, Somalia are all generally regarded not only as failed states, but as state-building failures. The list could easily be extended. In each instance, an international trustee, typically the United Nations or a " coalition of the willing " sanctioned by the United Nations, intervened more or less forcefully to rehabilitate a state that had fallen into anarchy and chaos....

The output side of the political system provides services for citizens and societies. It is on the output side daily interaction among citizens and public administration take place and is maintained. This is, indeed, a crucial aspect of daily life for most citizens and their interpretation of a good life, not at least in mature welfare states with extensive provision of public social services a...