Understanding the State: Definition, Functions, and Necessity
What is the State?
The State is a political organization with sovereign power over a defined territory. This power is exercised through various administrations, and the State holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of force and violence.
Key Characteristics of the State
- Territorial Power: The State’s authority extends to the entirety of the territory within its borders. Every individual and organization operating within these borders is subject to the State’s rules.
- Sovereignty: At the state level, there is no authority higher than the State itself. It possesses supreme authority, and all other associations or institutions within its territory are subordinate to it. These entities must operate within the framework authorized by the State, or they risk sanctions or dissolution.
- Maintaining Order: This is arguably the State’s primary function. The State has an obligation to protect its members from both internal and external threats. Internally, it enforces laws to prevent conflicts and ensure stability and social peace. Externally, it protects its citizens from foreign attacks or incursions through international relations and diplomacy.
The Debate on the State’s Necessity
Anarchist Perspective: The State is Unnecessary
Anarchism, as advocated by thinkers like Mikhail Bakunin, argues that the State is an instrument used by the powerful to oppress the people. They believe it serves to concentrate wealth in the hands of a few, perpetuating the injustices of a ruling class. This class, according to anarchists, is willing to instigate wars, famine, abuses, and various forms of deprivation to maintain their privileges.
Anarchism is rooted in the belief that human beings are inherently good. Therefore, in a free and egalitarian society, the State would be unnecessary, as social solidarity would naturally prevail as the fundamental rule.
Pro-State Perspective: The State is Essential
The majority of thinkers defend the necessity of the State, primarily for two reasons:
- Control of Violence: Because the State monopolizes the legitimate use of force, it is deemed necessary to limit and control potential outbreaks of violence. Human nature includes competitiveness, rivalry, and aggressiveness, alongside cooperation and solidarity. The State is seen as the only entity capable of preventing confrontations and conflicts that threaten social stability.
- Promotion of the Common Good: The State is considered the only institution capable of genuinely promoting the common good. Individuals and private associations are often preoccupied with their own objectives. Therefore, an institution like the State is needed to focus on public well-being. This includes the construction of public infrastructure, common defense, environmental protection, care for the disadvantaged, the organization of a public health system, and the provision of education to the entire population. These objectives are seen as justifying the State’s existence.