This unique balance of power between state and society is the narrow corridor where a powerful state and liberty coexist. Here, state capacity and individual liberties increase, creating a prosperous and flourishing society, such as ancient Greece or the United States.

States have to walk a thin line to achieve liberty, passing through what the authors describe as a “narrow corridor.” To encourage freedom, states must be strong enough to enforce laws and provide public services but also restrained in their actions and checked by a well-organized civil society.