The concept of state capacity has recently experienced a rapid rise, achieving the status of a "key determinant of development" and leading to a flourishing body of interdisciplinary literature on the causes and effects of state capacity. However, the literature remains fragmented because the content of the concept is not only contested, but often confused with other concepts, such as the quality of governance, causing a lack of consensus on the mechanisms through which government capacity "delivers" socially important outcomes. Furthermore, the reasons why some politicians have higher state capacity but most are stuck in a low-capacity "trap" have remained understudied. Therefore, the main aim of this sabbatical project is to write a book that will synthesize the insights from existing literature with my own research of 10 years, and to provide answers to long-standing unresolved questions such as the relationship between democracy and state capacity and digitization of state capacity and how it affects the government's response to current global challenges such as the global pandemic. I am applying for the grant 1) to carry out research already at an advanced stage and produce a manuscript ready for publication; 2) collaborate with several of the world's leading researchers in these subjects at several US-based research centers.