Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad's article, The state under siege, which analysed the diminishing state under external assault from globalisation, needs to be balanced by the assault of the state from within.

Isn't it true that it is the self-serving unelected dictatorial governments of today (which number more than the elected ones) which undermine people's trust in the states in the first place?

In most of the world people look upon 'their' state with fear, if not real trembles. This state of affairs perhaps account for the fact that people don't believe much in the 'benevolent' state!

The hollowing out of this state function softens it when it comes to handling the assault of globalisation.

When we look upon the state as protector of people's rights under globalisation we need to be critical enough to judge whether the state has been, on balance, a supporter of people's rights, or a conduit of globalised exploitations (the real client state?).

It would be counter productive, for example, if in the name of fighting globalisation people agree to extend the state's powers over the citizens.