State and its elements

Introduction to
Politics
lecturer: Mukhtar Abdalla Nor ( Raakici )

UNIT 2
THE STATE AND IT IS ELEMENT
• 2.1 Definition
• 2.2 Elements
• 2.3 State and society
• 2.4 State and nation
• 2.5 State and Government.

INTRODUCTION
The modern term “state” is derived from the word
“status”. It was Niccolo Machiavelli ( 1469 – 1527)
who first used the term “state” in his writings. His
important work is titled as “Prince”.

Definitions
• Definitions :
The state is the most universal and most powerful of
all social institutions. The state is a natural institution.
Aristotle said man is a social animal and by nature he is a
political being. To him, to live in the state and to be a man
were identical.

Definitions
The state is the highest form of human association. It
is necessary because it comes into existence out of the
basic needs of life. It continues to remain for the sake of
good life
To Woodrow Wilson, “State is a people organized
for law within a definite territory.”
Aristotle defined the state as a “union of families
and villages having for its end a perfect and self – sufficing
life by which it meant a happy and good life”. Burgess
defines the state as “a particular portion of mankind
viewed as an organized unit.”

Definitions
According to Sidgwick. “State is a combination or
association of persons in the form of government and
governed and united together into a politically organized
people of a definite territory.”
According to Garner, “State is a community of people live
in a definite form of territory free of external control and
possessing an organized government to which people
show habitual agreement.”
Prof. Laski defines “state as a territorial society divided
into government and subjects whose relationships are
determined by the exercise of supreme coercive power.”

THE ELEMENTS OF STATE
From the above definitions, it is clear that the following are
the elements of the state :-
Physical bases of the State
1. Population
2. Territory
Political bases of the State
1. Government
2. Sovereignty

Population Territory Government Sovereignty
Population
It is the people who make the state. Population is essential
for the state. Greek thinkers were of the view that the
population should neither be too big nor too small.
According to Plato the ideal number would be 5040.
According to Aristotle, the number should be neither too
large nor too small. It should be large enough to be self
sufficing and small enough to be well governed.

Greek thinkers like Plato and Aristotle thinking on the
number was based on small city – states like Athens and
Sparta. Modern states vary in population. India has a
population of 102,70,15,247 people according to 2001
census.

Territory
There can be no state without a fixed territory. People
need territory to live and organize themselves socially and
politically. It may be remembered that the territory of the
state includes land, water and air – space.
The modern states differ in their sizes. Territory is
necessary for citizenship. As in the case of population, no
definite size with regard to extent of area of the state can
be fixed. There are small and big states.

Prof. Elliott “territorial sovereignty
or the Superiority of state overall within its boundaries
and complete freedom from external control has been a
fundamental principle of the modern state life”. India has
an area of 32,87,263 sq. km. Approximately India occupies
2.4% of the global area.

Government : Government is the third element of the
state. There can be no state without government.
Government is the working agency of the state. It is the
political organization of the state.
Prof. Appadorai defined government as the agency
through which the force of the State is formulated,
expressed and realized.
According to C.F. Strong, in order to make and enforce
laws the state must have highest authority. This is called
the Government.

Sovereignty :
The fourth essential element of the state is sovereignty.
The word ”sovereignty” means supreme and final legal
authority above and beyond which no legal power exists
Sovereignty has two aspects :
1) Internal sovereignty
2) External sovereignty
Internal sovereignty means that the State is supreme
over all its citizens, and associations.
External sovereignty means that the state is
independent and free from foreign or outside control.

Chart showing the outermost and the
innermost of the State
politics
state
government

Differences between state and society :
State and Society
The society consists of a large number of individuals,
families, group and institutions. The early political thinkers
considered both state and society as one. State is a part of
society but is not a form of society.
NO State Society
1 State came into existence after the
origin of the society
Society is prior to the state.
2 The scope of the state is limited. The scope of society is much wider.
3 State has fixed territory Society has no fixed territory
4 State is a political organization. Society is a social organization.
5 The state has power to enforce laws. Society has no power to enforce
laws.

Differences between State and Nation :
State and Nation:
The word “nation” is derived from the Latin word “natio”
hich means birth or race. The terms nation and state are
used as synonym.

Thus the distinction between the state and
nation in clear. See the table below.
No State Nation
1 Existed not only at present
but also in the
ancient period
Modern phenomenon or occurrence
2 It is legal political It is ethnic cultural
3 People organized for law
within a definite territory.
People psychologically joined
together with common will to
live together
4 A state must be sovereign. People continue as a nation even if
they do not remain
Sovereign
5 Inhabited (populated) by
heterogeneous groups of
people
Inhabited (populated) by
homogeneous groups of people.

Differences between State and Government :
State and Government:
Government is often used with the ‘state’ as synonym. But
both the government and the state are two different
entities (unities). There are differences between the state
and the government. They are explained in the table given
below

N
o
Differences between State and Government :
State Government
1 State consists of population,
territory, government and
sovereignty.
Government is part of the
state
2 State possesses original powers. Powers of the government
are derived from the state
3 State is permanent and
continues forever.
Government is temporary It
may come and go.
4 State is abstract and invisible. Government is concrete
and is visible.

Branches of government
Legislature Executive Judiciary

Executive:
It is one of the three branches of government as given
above. State functions through the executive, the namely
the government. It is the duty of the executive or enforce
the laws passed by the legislature. The executive who
exercise real power is the real executive. The executive
who has nominal power is the normal executive.

Powers and functions of executive are
1. Enforcing law
2. Maintaining peace and order.
3. Repelling aggression (violence).
4. Building friendly relations with other states
5. When necessary to wage war to protect the country.
6. Making appointments to higher posts.
7. Raising money and spending them.
8. Convening the sessions of the legislature and
conducting business.
9. Issues ordinances whenever the legislature is to in
session.

10. Implement schemes and projects to improve he social
and economic conditions of the people.
11. Power to grant pardon, reprieve or remission of
punishment.
Legislature
The legislature is the law making branch. The legislature
has an important role in the adjustment of the
constitution. The legislature is a deliberative body where
matters of social, economic and political concerns are
discussed, debated and decided.

Judiciary
Judiciary:
Judiciary is the third important organ of the government
Machinery (equipment). Its main function is to interrupter
laws and administer justice.
Functions of Judiciary:
1. Administration of justice.
2. To determine what is law and what is the cope (deal
with ) and meaning of it.
3. To give advisory opinion on matters referred to it.
4. To issue orders or writs for the purpose of preventing
violation of rights and laws.
5. To acts as guardian of the constitution

State and its elements

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