Start a discussion on any of the questions below. Please refer to the Discussion Rubric for details on how your participation in the discussion will be evaluated.

1. Charles Tilly is famous for arguing, “War made the state and the state made war.” Explain.
2. Why did the modern state emerge as the dominant actor in international politics?
3. Three of the ten most-worsened countries in the 2018 Fragile States Index are also among the world’s most developed. Which are these three countries? Why did their scores worsen? (http://fundforpeace.org/fsi/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.)
4. What are the definitional challenges of democracy and authoritarianism?
   On the basis of what characteristics do we decide if a country is democratic or authoritarian?
5. a. What are the typologies of democracies?
   b. What distinctions can we make between authoritarian regimes?
6. Over the last decade, many have began talking about an “authoritarian slide”. Why do you think some countries have either successfully maintained authoritarian rule (think Cuba, China) or had experienced a slide back to authoritarianism (think Venezuela)?

550 word minimum. must include two references