ABSTRACT
Let us now turn from the struggle for power to public governance—the protection and control of the population, and the administration of public goods. These tasks require some cooperation, as conflicts must be avoided or resolved for the greater good, or at least for viability, and the public goods should be managed to the benefit of all. The organization in charge of such tasks is of course the state or commonwealth—a noble word much appreciated four centuries ago but now hidden in some official documents.
