Rather than focus on why the states did not contribute to the national government under the Articles of Confederation, Collective Action under the Articles of Confederation asks why they, in fact, did--even when they should not have been expected to contribute. Why did states pay large portions of their requisitions to the federal government when problems of collective action and the lack of governmental incentives suggest that they should not have? Using original data, Keith L. Dougherty shows that states contributed to the national government when doing so produced local gains.

List of tables and figures; Acknowledgements; 1. The mystery of state contributions; 2. National interests and state sovereignty: objectives of the confederation; 3. Collective action and the provision of public goods; 4. The history of state compliance; 5. State contributions and private interests; 6. Reacting to rebellion; 7. A new constitution; 8. Conclusion; Appendix; Glossary; References; Index.