THE PURPOSE OF THE DISCUSSION IS TO PLACE SOCIAL CONTROL IN ITS PROPER HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND TO OFFER AN EMPIRICAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN STATE. CHANGING VIEWS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE STATE DURING THE 19TH CENTURY ARE OUTLINED, SOCIAL PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE STATE DURING THE HEYDEY OF THE LAISSEZ-FAIRE DOCTRINE ARE IDENTIFIED, RESPONSES TO THESE PROBLEMS ARE DISCUSSED, AND STATE INTERVENTIONS IN THE LAST DECADES OF THE 19TH CENTURY ARE DESCRIBED. THE ANALYSIS DRAWS ON HISTORICAL WRITINGS AND ON THE AUTHOR'S SOCIALOGICAL STUDIES OF THE ORIGINS OF THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. IT IS SHOWN THAT THE LAWS CONSTITUTING THE AGENTS OF MODERN PUBLIC SOCIAL CONTROL ORIGINATED IN THE LAST DECADES OF THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN CONTROLLING MEASURES WERE PARTLY PRODUCED AND PARTLY TAKEN OVER FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS BY THE STATE. THIS FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TOWARD FORMALIZATION AND CENTRALIZATION WAS PRECEDED BY THE AD HOC AND AT TIMES RELUCTANT DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL CONTROLS AS RESPONSES TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM DURING THE FIRST TWO-THIRDS OF THE 19TH CENTURY. IN THE LAST DECADES OF THE CENTURY, SOCIAL CONTROLS UNDERWENT A 'SCIENTIFICATION,' BOTH IN IDEOLOGY AND IN METHOD. THIS PROCESS RESHAPED THE CONTROLS, GIVING THEM THEIR MODERN FORM. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THIS PROCESS REPRESENTED MORE A CONSOLIDATION THAN AN INNOVATION IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL CONTROL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)