Introduction

The international system depends upon sovereign states to uphold their responsibilities for order and security. However, state capacity among countries ranges from relatively effective to failed, with a middle ground occupied by a spectrum of possibilities. Establishing adequate state capacity is one of the most compelling challenges for state officials in the twenty-first century. State capacity is multidimensional, with all elements interacting to produce governance. Similarly, democracy and state capacity are intimately related. The former is not possible without the coercive, extractive, and administrative capacity of the state. States facing internal conflicts or high levels of crime most often resort to the only institution perceived as capable of establishing the necessary security and monopoly on the legitimate use of force, namely, the armed forces. In most countries, the armed forces, for good reasons, are reluctant to perform police duties.