Definition, Forms,

and
Functions of State
Quarter 2: Module 1
STATE
taken from the Latin stare (to stand) is a political community that occupies
a definite territory, having a government of their own, wherein a great
number of inhabitants render obedience and enjoy freedom from external
control (Social Dynamics, 83).
 Aristotle Widroow Wilson Garner
defined the state as a “State is a community of
“union of families and “state is a person people live in a definite form
villages having for its organized for law of
end a perfect and self- within a definite territory free of external
sufficing life by which it territory”. control and possessing an
meant a happy and good organized government to
which
life”.
people show habitual
agreement”.
Many countries in the world were known as a great state and the
Philippines, our country, is a good example of a state.

The Philippines is a democratic and

republican State. Sovereignty resides in
the people and all government
authority emanated from them.

ARTICLE II, SECTION I OF THE 1987

CONSTITUTION
 The Philippines is a republic with a presidential
form of government wherein power is equally
divided among its three branches: executive,
legislative, and judicial. ... The Legislative branch
is authorized to make laws, alter, and repeal
them through the power vested in the Philippine
Congress. The government seeks to act in the
best interests of its citizens through this system
of check and balance.
Physical bases of state Political bases of the state

1. Population 3. Government
2. Territory 4. Sovereignty
Differences Between State and Society The
society consists of a large number of
individuals, families, group and institutions.
The early political thinkers considered both
state and society as one. State is a part of
society but is not a form of society.
 STATE SOCIETY
1. State came into 1. Society is prior to the
existence after the state.
origin of the society. 2. The scope of society
2. The scope of the state is much wider.
is limited. 3. Society has no power
3. The state has power to enforce laws.
to enforce laws.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATE
AND NATION

1. POPULATION
– it is the people who make the state. Population is
essential for the state. Greek thinkers were of the view
that the population should neither be too big nor too
small. But it should be large enough to be self-
sufficing and small enough to be well governed.
2. TERRITORY 3. GOVERNMENT
- there can be no state without a – there can be no state without
fixed territory. People need territory government. It is the working agency
of the state as well as the political
to live and organize themselves
organization of the state. Prof.
socially and politically. It may be Appadorai defined government as the
remembered that the territory of the agency through which the force of the
state includes land, water and air – State is formulated, expressed, and
space. Territory is necessary for realized. According to C.F. Strong, in
citizenship. order to make and enforce laws the
state must have highest authority. This
is called the Government.
 4.SOVEREIGNTY
– the fourth essential element of the state which means supreme and
final legal authority above and beyond which no legal power exists.
Sovereignty has two aspects: 1. Internal sovereignty means that the
State is supreme over all its citizens, and associations. 2. External
sovereignty means that the State is independent and free from foreign
or outside control.
 The word “nation” is derived
from Latin word “natio” which
means birth or race. The terms
nation and state are used as
synonym.
 STATE NATION
1. Existed not only 1. Modern
at present but phenomenon or
also in the occurrence.
ancient period.
2. It is ethnic cultural
2. It is legal political
3. People
3. People organized
psychologically joined
for law within a
together with common
definite territory.
will to live together
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
STATE AND GOVERNMENT:
The word government is often used with the ‘state’ as synonym.
But both the government and the state are two different entities.

STATE GOVERNMENT
1. State consists of population,
1. Government is part of a state.
territory, government and
sovereignty.
2. State is permanent and 2. Government is temporary it
continues forever. may come and go.

3. State possesses original 3. Powers of the government

powers. are derived from the state.
 ARISTOTLE’S CLASSIFICATION OF
GOVERNMENT
Number of Ruler/s One
Normal Form Perverted Form
Few Many

One Monarchy Tyranny

Few Aristocracy Oligarchy
Many Polity Democracy
- A government that is governed
by one ruler who has efficient
administration of political and
economic values is a monarchy.
A perverted form of it is tyranny
or the rule of a dictator.
 - Monarchs are better leaders as
they are not prone to employ
force to subjugate members of
the society as they do not feel the
pressure to maintain their
position, which they inherited.
- Aristotle argued that the rule of
the few intellectuals known as
aristocracy is the best form of
government. He said that
aristocracy is less prone to
corruption given that it is run by a
group of people who have no ve
- The rule of the aristocrats is the
ideal but not a possibility, as this
group of people are not inclined
toward the practiced of
governance due to their
preoccupation with the
intellectual and philosophical.
 - according to Aristotle, the best
alternative for an effective government
is the rule of the middle class known as
polity. This type of government is the
most efficient, as it is less prone to
corruption. This is due to the rulers who
come from the middle class, are satisfied
economically, and are well-educated.
 - democracy was considered by
Aristotle as an ineffective type of
government. He said democracy had a
potential for chaos and corruption,
given that it is ruled by the masses
that are generally economically
challenged and lacking proper
education
 Functions of the State
1. Protect the Natural Rights The primary
functions of government are to protect the
basic human rights which include right to
life, liberty and to possess property. The
idea of natural rights is because every
person deserves to enjoy these rights.
 Functions of the State
2. Defend Against External Enemies
War across nations has been a
constant condition since the
beginning of civilization. The
government has a responsibility to
ensure peace within its borders.
 Functions of the State
3. Managing Economic Conditions The
modern government has a duty to fight
poverty and improve the quality of life of its
citizens. In order to achieve this, the
government must create a conducive
environment for material prosperity and
economic growth.
 Functions of the State
4. Redistribution of Income and Resources
Governments should ensure economic pie
grows larger to redistribute fruits of
prosperity. The government does this by
taxing wealthier people and transferring the
income to different categories of people
who are in need of these services.
 Other functions of a state are maintaining law,
order and stability, resolving various kinds of
disputes through the legal system, looking out for
the welfare of the population in ways that are
beyond the means of the individual, such as
implementing public health measures as currently
seen in our society , providing mass education and
underwriting expensive medical research.
Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,
Leader of the Republican State This global
pandemic has been a big challenged to our
state and to our government. Our political
leaders are continuously seeking and
finding resources to help the needy
citizens in this time of uncertainty caused
by COVID-19 pandemic.
 Assesment
1. What is the definition of a State according to Social Dynamic?

2. How did Aristotle define the State?

3. According to Woodrow Wilson, what is a State?

4. What are the physical and political bases of the State?

5. How does the 1987 Philippine Constitution define sovereignty in the context of the State?

6. What are the two aspects of sovereignty, and what do they mean?

7. What is the difference between a State and a Nation in terms of their basis?
 Answers:
Answer: A State is a political community that occupies a definite territory, has its own government, and where
inhabitants render obedience and enjoy freedom from external control.

Answer: Aristotle defined the State as a “union of families and villages having for its end a perfect and self-
sufficing life by which it meant a happy and good life.”

Answer: Woodrow Wilson defined the State as "a person organized for law within a definite territory."

Answer:
Physical bases: Population and Territory.
Political bases: Government and Sovereignty.

Answer: According to Article II, Section I of the 1987 Constitution, sovereignty resides in the people and all
government authority emanates from them.

Answer:
Internal sovereignty means that the State has supreme authority over its citizens and associations.
External sovereignty means that the State is independent and free from foreign or outside control.

Answer:
A State is a legal and political entity, with people organized for law within a defined territory.
A Nation is an ethnic or cultural entity, with people psychologically joined together with common will to live
together.