With the establishment of the modern state as the primary organization responsible for the protection of its citizens and territory, the relationship or covenant between the state and its citizens has remain fairly constant; to assure the peace, the population relied on the state to protect them and in exchange for this safeguard, the population relinquished some of their personal autonomy for that of a larger governing body. This association remained the primary relationship for hundreds of years whereby the people provided the state with the resources it need to provide for the common defense, and the state held on to the monopoly as the single authority entitled to wage war; modern global events have irrevocable and indelibly altered that relationship. Historically, when governments, empires and dictators have sought to expand their military capability, they have done so by introducing mercenaries into their existing forces. From William the Conquer, to the present, the mercenary soldier or free-lancer has been enlisted when national interests require action, but world opinion disapproves.