ABSTRACT
General, that is, global or regional introductions to the history of administration and government are scarce. They are usually limited in time and space. Ernest Barker's study of the development of public services in Western Europe is an example of a regional introduction covering the 1660–1930 periods. This chapter discusses that general and introductory literature will be done by region (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Latin and North America), distinguishing among ancient/early states, medieval states (Europe), pre-modern, and modern states. With respect to Africa, Asia, and Latin and North America, attention will be given to the periods of colonization and independence. Statistical information is usually available on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, since that is the period that Western governments began collecting information on a systematic basis. The State Almanacs are an indispensable source of information, since they provide an overview of the most important officials in government departments, field agencies, and subnational governments.
