One of the most fascinating and yet difficult subjects in political economics is he study of the emergence of the state. Among numerous explorations in the literature, we find only Schotter (1981) presenting a formal model within a cost-benefit framework. His main conclusion is that a state is self-generating and self-reinforcing until it is all-encompassing in the form of a ”grand association” a la Nozick (1975). The purpose of this note is twofold: Firstly, we want to Joint out two rather serious logical mistakes in Schotter's derivation of his results. Without their correction, his above-mentioned conclusion is dynamically untenable. Secondly, we Want to show that Schotter's model provides an intriguing framework for analyzing the emergence of the state not just from a Hobbesian ”protective approach”, bur also from a Srnithian ”cooperative approach” and an unorthodox ”distributive approach”, We thus extend his model in these directions and arrive at a synthesis.