CONCEPTS OF STATE
GE ELEC 3: Lesson No.2
-Von Kenneth D. Herrera, LPT, MPA, JD
STATE VS NATION
• NATION-ethnical concept (group of people having common
racial origin, traditions, religion)
• STATE-Political concept
• MULTINATIONAL STATE-contains more than one nation
• EX: USA
• Republican-kind of government where the sovereignty is
vested in the people
STATE
• Community of persons,
more or less numerous,
occupying a definite
territory, possessed with an
organized government and
independent of external
control
ELEMENTS OF A STATE
PEOPLE
Entire body of those citizens of a
state or a nation who are invested
with political power for political
purposes (the qualified purposes)
TERRITORY
Area of land under the jurisdiction of a
ruler or state
GOVERNMENT
Organization machinery or agency through
which a political unit exercises authority
and perform functions and which is usually
classified according to the distribution of
power within it
SOVEREIGNTY
supreme authority
power of a
governing body to
govern itself
without any
interference
sources and
bodies
GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A
STATE AFFECTING POLITICS AND
GOVERNMENT
1. SIZE
2. SHAPE
3. LOCATION
1. SIZE
• Size does not guarantee the presence of mineral
resources and fertile soil
• ex: Canada and Iceland vs Kuwait
• size is just a contributing factor to a state’s
strength and stability, but not an absolute
determinant
2. SHAPE
• COMPACT STATES - circle with its capital located at the
center is regarded as the most efficient shape.
• here, in a minimum amount of time, all places could be
reached from the center with less expenditures on
transportation.
• also, has the shortest possible boundaries to defend.
• Ex: Poland and Uruguay
a. PRORUPT STATES
almost compact
but endowed
with two narrow
extensions of
territory
-peninsular
structure such
as Myanmar
and Thailand
b. ELONGATED STATES
least efficient states
whose parts are from
the capital and have
more diversity of
climate and resources
c. FRAGMENTED STATES
• c1. archipelagoes
• c2. partly island, partly
mainland
c3.
• those that are chiefly in the
mainland but part of the
territory is separated by
another states.
d. PERFORATED STATES
• One that surrounds a territory but does not control or
govern; enclose is the surrounded territory which may be
independent or maybe a part of another state
• ex: Republic of South Africa which surrounds the state of
Lesotho
• -Tiny states of San Marano and Vatican City are enclose
that perforate Italy
3. LOCATION
• A. Absolute Location - location of a state can be
modified by its shape and size, because their absolute
location is in the upper middle latitude.
• Russia and China reduced their size advantage when
agricultural land was used.
• Iceland is a compact state but its location just south the
Artic Circle, men that most of the area are barren and
desolate
• B. RELATIVE LOCATION - description of how a place is
related to another state
• Landlocked states - surrounded by other states, without
ocean frontage suffers geographical disadvantage. They
do not have access to maritime trade and are deprived of
resources found in coastal waters and continental shelves.
• Singapore is an example on how relative location foster’s
economic well-being of a state
POLITICAL CULTURE IN A
STATE
1. ETHNICITY
Ethnic groups have
their own interpretation
of political institutions
and processes. They
are usually traditional
and communal
institutions to preserve
and maintain their
ethnic interest as well
as cultural identity.
2. RELIGION
Some bishops, priests,
ministers participates in
the political process to
promote their own
agenda on matters
beneficial to their agenda
on matters beneficial to
their interest thereby
endorsing political
candidates.
3. CLASS
Powerful factor in the formation of political
attitudes and beliefs is class identity
1. Centripetal Forces 2. Centrifugal Forces
Nationalism Ethnicity
Unifying Institutions Religion
Effective Organization
Culture
Administration of the
Government Ideology
THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN
OF THE STATE
A. DIVINE RIGHT THEORY
-The ruler’s
mandate originated
from GOD
-Used by monarchs
in the olden times
to justify their
absolute rule over
their subjects
B. FORCE THEORY
Asserts that the state emerged
as a consequence of invasion,
occupation, force or coercion.
-Prior to the existence of the
state, there were also those
who were able to force others
to accept their leadership
through sheer force, invasion
and occupation.
C. PATERNALISTIC THEORY
Attributes to the
expansion of the
family as the origin
of the state
As a head of a
family, the father
governed as a chief
ruler of the
institution
D. ROSSEAU’S SOCIAL CONTRACT
People
deliberately
surrendered their
individual rights to
form a society
and government
for their common
good.
E. HOBBES’S SOCIAL CONTRACT
Natural state of human
is constant war with the
other. Society therefore,
arose only by
convention. from self-
interest, people make
place and security in as
much as they delegate
total power to the state.
F. LOCKE’S SOCIAL CONTRACT
State was established to preserve
the natural rights of its citizens.
He believed that man in a state of
nature is a happy and tolerant
one. The agreement between the
people and the ruler preserves the
pre-existent natural rights of the
individual to life, liberty, property,
and that the enjoyment of of
private rights and the pursuit of
happiness lead to a civil society
for the common good.
G. INSTINCTIVE THEORY
The state originated from the natural tendencies of
people to live in an organized society. Political
institutions came into being as a consequence of
people’s instinct to bind themselves as social
beings.
H. ECONOMIC THEORY
• State came into
being as a
consequence of
man’s numerous
and diverse
material needs and
wants.
I. HISTORICAL OR EVOLUTIONARY THEORY
• The state results from a gradual process
or evolutionary growth that had been part
of the history of humanity. Since the state
is like a living organism, it has the
capacity to grow, wither and develop.
INHERENT RIGHTS AND
FUNDAMENTAL POWERS
OF THE STATE
1. RIGHT OF EXISTENCE
Right of the state
to exist as a
sovereign and
independent
state
2. RIGHT TO SELF-PRESERVATION
Right of the state to use
force against other states
that threatens its
existence as an
independent state.
3. RIGHT TO PROPERTY AND DOMAIN
Right of a state to
claim absolute
right to ownership
of everything
within its
territorial
jurisdiction
4. RIGHT OF JURISDICTION
The right of the
state to exercise its
authority over all
things and people
within its territory
5. RIGHT OF LEGATION
Right of the state to
establish diplomatic
ties with other states
for political, economic,
military, or socio-
cultural reasons
INHERENT
POWERS OF THE
STATE
POLICE POWER
• The power of the state vested in the legislature
by the Constitution to make, ordain, and
establish all manner of wholesome and
reasonable laws, statutes and ordinances, either
with penalties or without, not repugnant to the
constitution as they shall judge to be for the good
and general welfare of the state. (Malclolm, Phil.
Constitution Law, p 338)
Basis of Police Power
• Its source is the social compact by which an
individual must part with some rights and
privileges for the common good.
• Purpose: Prescibe regulations to promote the
health, peace, morale, education and good order
of the people.
TAXATION
• Taxes-burdens or charges imposed by the legislative
power upon person or property, to raise money for public
purpose.
• Power of the state to impose taxes on individuals and
properties to support the operations of the government.
EMINENT DOMAIN
• Right of the state to acquire private property for public use
upon payment of just compensation.
• BASIS OF THE EXERCISE OF POWER
• -Private property should not be an obstacle to human
progress and to the development of the general welfare of
the community.
• PUBLIC USE- implies a possession, occupation,
and enjoyment of the land at large or by public
agencies, and a due protection of the rights of
private property will preclude the government from
seizing it in the hand of the owner, and turning it
over to another, on vague grounds of public
benefit, to spring from the mere profitable use to
which the latter may denote it. (Cooley’s [Link].
622)
• Just Compensation-fair and full equivalent for the
loss sustained.
• -market value