Second, there has been a shift in perspective with regard to state-society relationships and dependencies. Previously, government enjoyed an unrivalled position in society in that it was the obvious locus of political power and authority. True, states have nearly always been engaged in some type of negotiation with other significant structures in society but even then the dominant role of the state was never questioned. In the current perspective, the state evolves as an actor which remains in control of some unique power bases in society such as executive and legislative powers and the enforcement of public policy. At the same time, however, states are becoming increasingly dependent on other societal actors. This is because it lacks the resources to deliver public service, or it lacks the legitimacy, or because it faces an environment which is becoming increasingly ‘ungovernable’.