Professional Documents
Culture Documents
State
State
1
The State of the State
I. Introduction: The State of the State
Based on the movie The City of
God, what are the prominent
features of the STATE?
Should the state always above to the
interest of the People?
What is the difference between the
state and government? What are the
reasons why there are confusion on
these two concepts?
What are the different theories in
explaining the use of state power?
Has the state lost its relevance at this
juncture?
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The State of the State
II. What is state: Defining State
The state is a political
association that establishes
sovereign jurisdiction within
defined territorial borders, and
exercise authority through a set
of permanent institutions
(Heywood 2002:87)
The state is the locus of social
power (Poggi 2002:35)
3 different ways in understanding
the state
idealist approach
functionalist approach
organizational approach
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The State of the State
5 Key features of the state
The state is sovereign
The state institutions are
recognizably public
The state is an exercise of
legitimation
The state is an instrument of
domination
The state is a territorial association
III. The Principal differences between
government and the state are the
following
The state is more extensive than
govt. Government is part of the
state
The state is a continuing, even
permanent entirety. Government is
temporary
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The State of the State
Government is the means through which the
authority of the state is brought into
operation
The state exercises impersonal authority
The state in theory represents the
permanent interest of the society.
Government represents partisan interest
IV. Rival Theories of the State
A. Pluralist State
The state is like a wind vane, it depends in
whatever direction that public at large
dictates
Proponents: John Locke, Jeremy Bentham
(classical)
Robert Dahl, Charles Lindblom
(modern)
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The State of the State
b. The Capitalist State
The state is the instrument of the
capitalist class in order to maintain
its hold in our society
The executive of the modern state is
but a committee for managing the
common affairs of the whole
bourgeoisie (Communist Manifesto
1848:82)
The state is instrument of class
oppression
The state is relative autonomy from
the class system
Proponents: Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels,
Lenin
(classical)
Ralph Miliband, Paul Sweezy,
Nicos Poulantzas
(modern)
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The State of the State
C. The Leviathan State
The image of the state as a
leviathan (in effect a self serving
monster intent for expansion and
aggrandizement)
State intervention should be
limited
Emphasizing the role of
individual and market
Proponents: Thomas Hobbes, Adam
Smith (classical)
Friedrich Hayek,
Milton Friedman (modern)
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The State of the State
D. The Patriarchal State
The issue of gender is an
important issue, for it dictates
who controls the state
Male power is a central political
issue
Little role of women in our
society
Powerlessness of women in the
state
Proponent: Marry Wollstonecrat
(classical)
Catherine Mckinnon
(modern)
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The State of the State
V. The Role of the State
a. Minimal states
Ensures that individuals
enjoy the widest possible
realm of freedom
Negative view of the state
The administrative, judicial
and police functions
Let the market dictates the
needs of the people
e.g. USA, UK, etc
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The State of the State
B. Developmental States
A developmental state is
one that intervenes in
economic life with the
specific purpose of
promoting industrial
growth and economic
development
Govt + Market =
Developmental state
Minimal presence of
human rights and freedom
e.g. Japan, Germany, etc
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The State of the State
C. Social Democratic states
Social democratic state does not
only promote industrial growth
and economic development it
brings issues such as social
justice, freedom, human rights
and equality
Positive view of the state
Manage or regulate capitalism
with strong social protection
e.g. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, etc
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The State of the State
D. Collectivized States
Collectivized states bring
the entirety of economic
life under state control
Plan and Command
Economy
State collectivization or
property of the state
e.g. USSR (old), Poland and
Hungary (old), Cuba
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The State of the State
E. Totalitarian states
State controls all aspects of
human life, economic,
political, socio-cultural,
etc.
The state is everything
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