DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE STATE AND: GOVERNMENT, NATION AND SOCIETY

WHAT IS A STATE

A state is an entity that occupies a definite geographic area, has a certain culture, people, language history and the like. The term state is used to distinguish a certain territory from another one based on these factors. It is an independent and sovereign entity that can be distinguished from the other states and has certain administrative tasks to be carried out for its proper functioning. These administrative tasks are carried out by the government. This entity has the right to exercise power over the territory and the people. State is the territory in which the government can practice its authority. A state is like an organization and the government is like the management team.

THE MEANING OF GOVERNMENT

Government is a body formally saddled to formulate and execute policies which ensures law and order in the state. The term include the sum total of the legislative, executive and judicial bodies in the state wither the central or subordinate government of all who are engaged in making, administrating and interpreting the law.

In a popular talk the terms 'State' and ‘Government’ are very often used synonymously. Common people use them in an identical sense.

The political scientists make a clear distinction between the State and government. Some of the difficult problems of political science are solved on the basis of the distinction between the State and government. Some of the difficult problems of political science are solved on the basis of the distinction between the State and government.

Here are some of the important differences between the State and government.

State and Government are two different terms having altogether different meanings. Most of the intricate problems of Political Science are solved on the basis of the distinction between state and the govern­ment. The following points bring out the distinction between the two:—

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATE AND GOVERNMENT

1. The State has four elements like population, territory, Government and sovereignty. Government is a narrow concept and it is an element of the State. It is rightly said the State is an organic concept in which the government is a part. Willoughby writes. "By the term government is designated the organization of the State machinery through which is designated the organization of the State machinery through which its purposes are formulated and executed'". Government is an agent of the State. That is why in a democracy, it is considered as servant and the State as master. Government is compared with the brain of the living organism; what the brain is to the man. The government is to the State.

2. The State is more or less permanent and continues from time immemorial. But the government is temporary. It changes frequently. A government may come and go, but the State continues for ever. Death of a ruler or the overthrow of a government in general elections does not mean the change of the State. If the Ajanta Government replaces the Congress Government, it involves no fundamental changes in the structure of the State of India.

3. The State is generally composed of all citizens but all of them are not members of the government. The government consists of only a few selected citizens. The organ of the government consists of only a few selected citizens. The organs of the government are executive, legislature and judiciary. The few selected persons will run these three organs of the government. Thus, the State is a much broader organization than the government. Membership of the State is compulsory but not that of the government.

4. The State possesses sovereignty. Its authority is absolute and unlimited. Its power cannot be taken away by any other institution. Government possesses no sovereignty, no original authority, but only derivative powers delegated by the State through its constitution. Powers of government are delegated and limited.

5. The State is an abstract concept whereas government is a concrete one. Nobody sees the State and the State never acts. The government is a physical manifestation and it acts for the State. It consists of a definite group of persons who can be seen and known. It is a tangible organization which can be seen and questioned.

6. All States are identical in character and nature. Whether big or small, the characteristics of the State do not undergo changes. But governments are of different types and they may vary form the State to the. State various political scientists have given different classifications of government. Aristotle had classified government into monarchy, aristocracy and democracy Marriot has classified government into parliamentary or presidential and unitary or federal. Thus, there is no uniform pattern of government. But the State is a universal institution having one single form with its four essential characteristics.

7. Lastly the citizens possess rights to go against, government and not against the State. The State only acts through the government and the government may commit mistakes and not the State. Thus, the citizens have only rights to go against the government. Moreover, the State consists of a citizen, the citizens go against the State, it will mean to go against themselves. This is an impossible proposition. The State is therefore, and indestructible union of citizens having the chief characteristic of permanence and continuity. Government is only a part of the State.

MEANING OF STATE AND NATION

STATE: The accepted definition of a state was supplied by Max Weber in his book Politics as a Vocation: "A sovereign entity (rules itself), within a defined/specific territory (in defined borders), that holds a monopoly of the legitimate use of violence in the enforcement of its order. An empire does not have borders as it chooses to continually advance them. A state does not necessarily rule a people with a common culture; it is merely a political concept. Examples of a state: Iraq/Yemen/any state in the United Nations.

NATION: is a body of people who share a real or imagined common history, culture, identity, religion, morality, language, traditions, ethnicity or ethnic origin; typically inhabit a particular country/territory

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATE AND NATION

The words nation and state are sometimes used as synonyms. Sometimes, state is used as a synonymy for nation or country, but nation and state have their own respective identities.

A nation can be defined as group of people who are bound together into a single body, through history, customs, value, language, culture, tradition, art and religion. On the contrarily, a state can be defined as a patch of land with a sovereign government.

A nation can be defined as a politico-cultural entity, which is identified by its unique character and collective rights. On the other hand, a state can be defined as a politico-judicial entity, which is identified by its sovereign rights.

When looking at the etymology, ‘nation’ has been derived from the Latin word, ‘natio’, which means a ‘set of people’. State is a word that has been derived from the Latin’s ‘Status’, which means ‘status’ or ‘condition’.

Well, the states together form a nation. However, a state will have a separate political entity within a nation. Though the states have their own rules, and can also bring in new laws, they must adhere to the national laws. The states cannot frame laws that are of no interest to the nation.

A nation can be referred to as the holder of sovereignty, which has a big role in developing the fundamental norms of a state. A nation will have a constitution, whereas a state will not have a separate constitution.

The policies pertaining to national interest are taken by the government at the national level, but the state governments cannot formulate such policies.

1. A state is sometimes used as a synonymy for nation or country.

2. States together, form a nation.

3. A nation can be defined as a politico-cultural entity, which is identified by its unique character and collective rights. On the contrary, a state can be defined as a politico-judicial entity, which is identified by its sovereign rights.

4. A nation can be defined as group of people who are bound together into a single body, through history, customs, value, language, culture, tradition, art and religion. A state can be defined as a patch of land with a sovereign government.

5. A nation can be referred to as the holder of sovereignty.

6. Policies pertaining to national interest are taken by the government at the national level, but the state governments cannot formulate such policies.

MEANING OF STATE AND SOCIETY

STATE: is a community of persons organized for law within a definite territory. It has a definite scope and limited membership. The state is only concerned with political relation of organized communities.

SOCIETY: on the other hand, is comprehensive and covers the whole range of human relations, i.e., social, economic, political, religious etc. all relations between man and man, whether direct or indirect, conscious or uncon­scious, organized or unorganized, co-operative or antagonistic are cov­ered by society.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATE AND SOCIETY

1. Society is defined as "a collection of individuals held together by certain enduring relationship in Pursuit of common ends." The State, on the other hand, is defined as "a particular portion of society politically organized for the protection and promotion of its common interests". Thus, the state is a part of society The State is necessarily a political organization but society is not.

2. The society regulates all forms of social conduct the State regulates only the external relationship of men in society. While the State derives its strength mainly from laws, societies derive its strength from traditions, customs and conversions.

3. The State possesses the power of coercion. Disobedience to its law is followed by punishment. Society on other hand does not enjoy the power of coercion Disobedience to its rules may not be followed by any physical punishment. Thus, the only basis of the authority of society is social customs, convention and morality. Society secures the co-operation of its members by persuasion and not by coercion. The State alone possesses sovereignty.

4. The State is a territorial organization. It has well defined territory of its own. But society is not limited to any geographical area. The Jews, for example, constitute a society as they are spread all over the world. So is the case with the Hindu society or the Christian society. It has thus no territorial jurisdiction as the State always has. Its scope may over the entire world crossing the boundaries of various nations. Within a State, the people may be organized into different societies having different social traditions. Thus, society may be narrower or broader than the State.

5. The State is a compulsory organization where as society is a voluntary organization.

In spite of above differences, the State and Society have some common features as well. The State and society sometimes include practically the same persons and in most cases, an overwhelming majority of the members of a society may be included in the same State.

Hence, the State and Society go hand in hand. They help each other. Progress of society depends upon the progress of the state and the working of the state is in influence by social customs and traditions. Barker has summed up the distinction between the State and Society in the following words. "The Slate and society overlap, they blend, they borrow from one another. But roughly we may say that the area of the one is voluntary co-operation, its energy that of good will, its method that of elasticity, while the area of the other is that of mechanical action, its energy, forces, its method, rigidity.

REFERENCES

1.      Adamolekum, L (19 86} Politics and Administration in Nigeria, Ibadan: Spectrum Books Ltd.

2.      Adesoji, A.O and Alao, A (2009) “the structure of the government and its subordinates’ in The Journal of Pan African Studies Vol. 2 No 9, March pp 151-165.