State and civil society in the socio-political interaction

area agreed to give up (voluntarily) to the state as

much power as was needed to promote the safety and well-being of all

over an area and forced ALL within it to submit

to the person’s/group’s rule

When rule was established, all the basic elements of the state were present

(one person was the head - “government”)

Over years, the

primitive family became a network of related families [a clan]

The 8 – 20 clans to a tribe


Tribe first turned to agriculture and gave up its nomadic ways (tied to the land)…state

accepted in much of Western World

God or a god/gods created

the state and God/god(s) had given those of royal birth a “divine right” to rule

The people were bound to obey their ruler as they would their God/god(s)

Opposition to “the divine right of kings” was both treason and mortal sin

of people, living in a defined space, with the power

to make and enforce laws, and with an organization to do this.
does not have to check with any higher authority in order to make and enforce laws.
Its own organization, or government, is its highest authority.

people who are the members or citizens of a state.

*Can be large or small
Ex: China has a population of more than 1.3 billion people, while the island state of Fiji has just over 860,000.

state also has a
variety of features.
*might be mainly rural

or mostly urban.
*A state’s economic situation might mean most people are very poor, with little access to electricity or even water. Or the people might be generally wealthy, enjoying modern homes, running water, and the latest technology.
- Often this is connected to the level of education most people within the population have achieved.
*Populations also have their own cultural traditions, and they usually speak a common language.

which a state’s rule applies.

*A state must have set

boundaries.
- However, countries do not always agree on what each other’s boundaries are.

time.
- Sometimes they change after a war, when

the states involved agree on new boundaries. - When there is a dispute, states might also negotiate with each other to decide what the actual boundaries should be.
- States can purchase territory from other states, although this is less common today than it was in the past.

Ex: In 1867, the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.

rule absolutely within a territory.
- all states are

considered equal to each other

**no state may interfere in the affairs of another state.

today, the world’s states have created a higher authority, called

the United Nations.

States agree to follow the UN’s rules for dealing with each other — but they don’t have to follow them.
**Sovereign states are free to set their own foreign policy, meaning the kind of relationships they will have with other states.
**States also have the power to decide how things will operate inside their own boundaries. Today, though, if a state is unable to keep its population safe and many people are being killed—perhaps even by the government—the UN allows other states to use military force to protect the population.

a state that controls the actions and policies of the

state.

under the authority of a state.
civil society is distinguished from

the state, and is used to describe a realm of autonomous groups and associations, such as business, pressure groups, clubs, families and so on.

big state?
Does it have a population?
YES
NO
Does it

have a territory?

Does it have sovereignty?

Does it have government?

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

NO

30,000 people.

DOWN?

or THUMBS DOWN?
War
Negotiation with other countries
Purchasing land from other countries

you.
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?

you!
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?

UP or THUMBS DOWN?

Defense)
Keep Order (Domestic Tranquility)
Help Citizens (General Welfare)
Union
Blessings of Liberty

considered independent “states.”
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?

THUMBS DOWN?