State Building Forces and State Formation Agents: A Rejoinder to Ana Vedovato’s Review of the End of Consensus: New Debates on State Capacity in Latin America

Key Points

• This work addresses misconceptions about disagreements between state formation theories.
• Analyzed previously published theories on state building and capacity.
• Critically reviewed Ana Vedovato’s evaluation of existing literature on state formation.
• Engaged in theoretical discourse to reconcile differing views.
• Clarified that Schenoni’s and Mazzuca’s works complement rather than contradict each other.
• Highlighted the role of civil war in shaping state capacity and governance in Latin America.