 The appeal of transactional theories is that it seems intuitively plausible that political obligation has something to do with the duties generated by the important benefits that states provide to their members. The problem is that the mere provision of benefits seems insufficient to generate obligations unless certain psychological conditions are fulfilled by those who receive the benefits, and possibly also by those who provide them. But, as we have seen, it is doubtful that these conditions will be fulfilled by all those over whom states claim authority.