[tomjen3]

Relatively new, on the scale of human settled history. The Greek had city states and feudal Europe had feudal kingdoms.

I agree that security can probably best be provided at a level of states, but does a kid in the Ghetto really receive a comparative level of protection, service or education as another kid in the US, chosen at random?

And also the flip side of security is that oppression can also best be delivered at the state level. North Koreans would be strictly better of if NK was a bunch of warring states.