An Age-Structural Theory of State Performance

Résumé du livre

The objective of the essay is to introduce and demonstrate an age-structural theory of state performance that could guide researchers in their expectations of states during their transition from young, to mature, to very mature age structures. It begins by defining terms, reviewing the dynamics of the age-structural transition and the developmental and political trends associated with that transition. In this essay, I outline a transitional age-structural typology - a method that divides the continuous range of age structures into discrete categories - and I illustrate how this typology can be used to statistically associate age structures with various conditions and trends in states. I then propose a method to assess the relative state-favorability (their potential to bolster political stability and state legitimacy) or relative state-unfavorability (their potential to challenge institutions and place political stability at risk) of age structures. As a final step, I demonstrate this method.