The State

Modern Political Concepts

23rd September 2020
Solano Da Silva

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Class Objective >>
What is the state? What does it do?

1) Encountering the state

2) Conceptual understanding of the state
3) Features of the state
4) Perspectives on the state

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STATE? > 1. ENCOUNTERING THE STATE >>

Ways in which we encounter the state everyday:

• Through rules and regulations

• The enjoyment of many of the freedoms

and rights

• Some ways that we identify ourselves.

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STATE? > 2. Conceptual understanding >>

The State is considered to be a political association

which establishes sovereign jurisdiction over a
defined territory and exercises authority through a
set of permanent institutions.

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STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>

Four constituent elements of the state:

1. Permanent population:
A state comprises of an organization of human
beings…
• living together as a community
• inhabiting a territory in a permanent manner

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STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>
2. A well defined territory: The state exercises sovereign
jurisdiction (authority) over a definite territory.

• One state is distinguished from another by its attachment to

separate physical territories.

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STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>
3. Political association:
When the population form a political association
they incorporate the State
• The state is considered the ‘supreme’
corporate entity.

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STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>
4. Sovereignty: Supreme authority over those within its
geographical bounds – to make laws and enforce
them – without interference from internal and
external bodies.

• Legitimate authority

• Possesses the means of legitimate coercion

• "human community that successfully claims the monopoly of the

legitimate use of physical force within a given territory“– Max Weber

• "the modern state is a compulsory association which organizes

domination.“ – Max Weber 8
STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>

• Two aspects:
1. Internal sovereignty

2. External sovereignty

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STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>

5. Government:

• Working agency of the state.

• The State maintains its existence.

• Carries on its functions and realise its

policies and objectives.

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STATE? > 3. FEATURES OF THE STATE >>
4.1. An important feature of government – which is an
institutions of the state – is its ‘public’ character

Versus

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STATE? > 4. PERSEPCTIVES ON THE STATE >>

• Divine right perspective

• Thomas Hobbes: absolutist

• John Locke: liberal: state and civil society

• Jean Jacques Rousseau: Social contract

• Socialist perspectives
• Classical Marxist
• Socialist

• Patriarchal

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REFERENCES

Heywood, A. (2000) ‘State’ in Key Concepts in Politics. Basingstoke:

Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 39 – 42.

Das, S. (2008) ‘The State’ in Bhargava & A. Acharya (Eds) Political

Theory: An Introduction, R. New Delhi: Pearson, pp. 170 – 186.

Tansey, S. D. (2000) Politics: The Basics (2nd ed.) London: Routledge,

pp. 1 – 4.

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