In States Against Nations, Nicholas Kuipers questions the virtues of meritocratic recruitment as the ideal method of bureaucratic selection. Kuipers argues that while civil service reform is often seen as an admirable act of state-building, it can actually undermine nation-building. Throughout the book, he shows that in countries with high levels of group-based inequality, privileged groups tend to outperform marginalized groups on entrance exams, leading to disproportionate representation in government positions. This dynamic exacerbates intergroup tensions and undermines efforts towards nation-building. Drawing on large-scale surveys, experiments, and archival documents, States Against Nations provides a thought-provoking perspective on the challenges of bureaucratic recruitment and unearths an overlooked tension between state- and nation-building.

‘In this superb volume, Nicholas Kuipers makes a signal contribution to our understanding of state-building, nation-building and the interaction between the two. Drawing on a breathtaking research effort, States against Nations provides us with a new vocabulary for understanding some of the most foundational processes in political life.’

Edward Aspinall - Australian National University

‘States against Nations is a bold and compelling contribution to political science. With impressive empirical breadth and conceptual clarity, Kuipers reveals how bureaucratic meritocracy can undermine national solidarity in diverse societies. This book reframes debates on state-building, representation, and conflict, and deserves wide attention across subfields.’

Yuhua Wang - Harvard University

‘This book delves deeply into an underexplored trade-off between state formation and nation building: On the one hand, meritocratic recruitment into an emerging bureaucracy increases efficiency of public goods delivery, encouraging citizens to shift their loyalty to the state and to identify with the nation. But on the other hand, meritocracy can lead to resentment and ethnic tensions if some groups are overrepresented in the state apparatus because of their advantages in getting the right qualifications. Concisely argued and meticulously researched on the basis of impressive data from Southeast Asia, this book is a must read for students of public service, ethnic politics, and the historical dynamics of state formation.’

Andreas Wimmer - Columbia University

‘Nation-states have to simultaneously bolster state capacity to achieve their goals and foster inclusive national communities. In this fascinating study, Kuipers argues that the logic of state building and nation building can, under some circumstances, collide. In stratified societies, creating a civil service through meritocracy can consolidate the power of communities that already have educational advantages, impeding the task of nation building. Kuipers bases this argument on rich empirical evidence from Indonesia, derived from studies of civil service recruitment. … Kuipers offers an innovative framework for thinking about the different ways in which these states reconcile the tension between state building and nation building by blending discretion, meritocracy, and affirmative action in the recruitment of personnel.’

Bhanu Mehta Source: Foreign Affairs

‘The book’s breadth is impressive, and its argument opens a new avenue in the study of state formation and conflict. While some empirical claims are more convincing than others, and several links in the causal chain remain only partially substantiated, the book succeeds in reframing a foundational debate in the conflict literature. Rather than treating state capacity as mostly pacifying, Kuipers highlights how the very institutions that strengthen states may also deepen social exclusion and political resentment.’

Krzysztof Krakowski Source: Journal of Peace Research