Elements of A State A

Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 16

PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT
UNDERSTANDING THE
MATRIX OF STATE

THE ELEMENTS OF A STATE


WHAT IS A STATE?
State is usually used to replace the
term Nation. Generally, some people
use one of these terms
interchangeably. However STATE and
NATION are two distinct words.
The symbol that signifies the unity of
people who are confined with the same
culture, traditions and practices is
what we call a NATION.
What makes a NATION a STATE?
THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF A STATE
1. GOVERNMENT
2. POPULATION/PEOPLE
3. TERRITORY
4. SOVEREIGNTY

STATE- is a community of people, living in a


definite territory, under an established
government with an internal and external
sovereignty.
GOVERNMENT
Government is the important- indeed, indispensable
machinery by means of which the state maintains
its existence, carries on its functions and
realize its policies and objectives. A community
of persons does not form a state unless it is
organized by an established government.
Government usually consists of three branches: the
Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary.
Their respective functions are legislation,
administration and adjudication. The particular
form of government depends upon the nature of the
state which in turn depends upon the political
habits and character of the people.
POPULATION
The State is a human institution. Hence population is
said to be it’s first and foremost element. No
state can be imagined without the people, as there
must be some to rule and others to be ruled. The
people constitute its "personal basis".

FALLACY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A STATE:


It is however, difficult to fix the size of the
population of a state. For the Greek Philosopher
Plato, the ideal state should not contain more
than 5040 people. But Rousseau the French
Philosopher would treat 10,000 inhabitants as the
ideal population.
Modern states greatly vary in population. While
some modern states (e.g. the USA, Russia and
Canada) are still under populated relating to
area, resources and similar factors, like (e.g.,
China, India, Egypt) are confronted by the
problem of population which is expanding too
rapidly for their natural and technological
resources. There is no such hard and first rule
as to the number of people required to make a
state. The population of a state must be large
enough to preserve the political independence
and to exploit its natural resources and small
enough to be well governed.
TERRITORY
People cannot constitute a state, unless they inhabit
in a definite territory .When they reside
permanently in a fixed place, they develop a
community of interests and a sense of unity. It
becomes easy to organize them into a political unit
.Guide and control them. So the state requires a
fixed territory, with clearly demarcated boundaries
over which it exercises undisputed authority.
Territory is its "material basis". The territory of
a state comprises:
i) Land, mountains, and other forms of land( terrestrial)
ii) Territorial and extended waters ( fluvial)
iii) Air space, lying above its territory.( aerial)
The state has full rights of control and use over its
territory.
SOVEREIGNTY
The fourth essential element of the state is
sovereignty. It is that important element which
distinguishes the state from all other
associations. The word Sovereignty comes from the
French word “soverain” which means “ highest”
supreme and final legal authority and beyond which
no further legal power exists.
Sovereignty has two aspects- internal and external.
Internal sovereignty is the supreme authority of
the state over all individuals and associations
within its geographical limits. By virtue of it,
the state makes- and enforces laws on persons and
associations. Any violation of these laws will
lead to some legal consequences.
External sovereignty implies the freedom of the
state from foreign control. No external
authority can limit its power. India before
1947 was not a state because though it had
the other three elements, i.e., population,
territory and government, the fourth and the
most important one i.e., independence was
missing.
A state's sovereignty extends to its territory.
The sovereignty of the state over its
territory and its people must be accepted as
undisputed. A state also requires recognition
by other sovereign states. Such recognition
is provided by the community of states;
international organizations like the United
Nations, which grant membership to sovereign
states. The UN membership is a means of
recognizing state's sovereignty whenever a
new state comes into existence, its
recognition by other states and by UN is
extremely important.
Every state must have its population, a definite
territory, a duly established government and
sovereignty. Absence of any of these elements
denies to it the status of statehood.
W E, AS INDIVIDUALS HAS THE
RESPONSIBILIT Y OF CREATING A
WONDERFUL STATE, EVEN IF HUMANIT Y
BECOMES THE LEAST IMPORTANT
ELEMENT OF A STATE.
THANK YOU!