Levi 1988, Of Rule and Revenue

Questions

What, according to Levi, are the principal objectives of a ruler? What might stop a ruler from achieving these objectives?

Levi describes rulers as “predatory”. Does this description apply only to dictatorships, or does her conception of the state extend to democracies as well?

What determines the balance of bargaining power between a ruler and the ruler’s subjects?

What is Levi’s theory of policy change? In other words, how would she explain a major change in a country’s policy, such as going from peace to hostility with a neighboring country?

Over the past few hundred years of history, what have been the major changes in the resources available to rulers and the constraints they face?

How would international and military factors affect a ruler’s transaction costs, discount rate, and bargaining power?