[Oberon]

This “state monopoly on legitimate violence” business is straight out of Prussian political theory of the 19th century. Remember, they invented the modern nation-state. They also invented government-run schools.

[Oberon]

Oh, sorry... not the 19th century. I missed it by 19 years. The concept, explicitly articulated, is attributed to Max Weber in his 1919 book Politics as a Vocation.

[muawiyah]

Correction ~ the modern nation state arose out of the agreements that ended the 30 years war ~ called The Peace of Westphalia ~ that's in the 1600s.

The Prussian takeover followed on the heals of the Prussian invention of the modern postal union in the 1800s ~ nothing else than that.

Public schools were part of the package in a good number of very ancient city states ~ in Europe, Asia AND Africa.