Hamza Alavi’s influential theory of the “overdeveloped state” constitutes a critical intervention within Marxist and post-colonial political theory. Formulated in the 1970s as part of a broader debate on the nature of the post-colonial state, particularly in South Asia and Africa, Alavi's argument sought to grapple with the structural peculiarities of state formation in newly … Continue reading Critically assess Hamza Alavi’s conceptualisation of the “overdeveloped state” in post-colonial societies, with particular reference to its structural features, historical genesis, and implications for class domination and state autonomy.