What role has the state played in the development of modern capitalism

Paper instructions:
I need to consider not only those developments in theories of political economy that have affected people’s beliefs about the role of the state within capitalism, but also the ways in which such theories were applied to/within particular states. Particularly good answers will recognize the element of change over time involved in the way states have interacted with capitalism. Such answers will also recognize the differences between states, and the broader political, economic, and military forces acting upon states.