A state is a politically organized body of people occupying a definite geographical territory with an organized government entirely free from external control and the coercive power to secure obedience from its citizens and others. By the word state, it does not mean state as a component part of a federation like Kano, Kaduna, Benue or Lagos. State in this context means country like Nigeria, Ghana, USA, China India etc.
Characteristics of a state
1) Population: For a state to exist, there must be a given number of people which has no minimum or maximum that will occupy it.
2) Government: A state must have a machinery called government that will steer its affairs. Government performs this function on behalf of the state. The existence and survival of a state are maintained by government.
3) Territory: The state must possess a definite territory which has no limit to its size. This territory must have clear boundaries that will separate it from others. The term territory refers to not only land surface of the earth, but other things like air spaces, water, lake, mountain, natural resources etc.
4) Sovereignty: A state must have the supreme power to enable it make and enforce laws. Such a sovereign state must be free from external and internal control.
5) Recognition: A state must be recognized both internally and externally. The people of a state must realize and recognize the corporate existence of their state, while other states in the international environment must equally give recognition to an existing state.
6) Permanence: A state is relatively permanent. Unlike government which is changed periodically, a state does not change, it is permanent.
Relationship Between State and Government.
It is important to know that the state and government are complementary to each other. The government acts as an agency or machinery by which the state maintain its existence and carries out its functions.
Government is formed as a result of the existence of the state. On the other hand, the state cannot survive without one form of government or the other no matter how primitive such government may be. The state operates through government. That is why the government in a democracy is regarded as servant and state the master.
However, state and government are not identical. The state as the entire community is made up of government and the governed. The government on the other hand is a machinery through which the collective will of the state are formulated, expressed and executed.
The state is an association, while government is an organization. The components of a state are population, sovereignty, government, territory, recognition and permanence, while the organs of government are the legislature, executive and judiciary.
Also, the state is a permanent entity while government comes and goes without destroying the corporate existence of the state.
THE MEANING OF SOCIETY
Society is a group of people who share similar values, laws and traditions living in an organized communities for mutual benefit. It also means every kind of relationship entered into by men, whether organized or unorganized, direct or indirect, conscious or unconscious, cooperation or antagonistic. Society include any multiplicity of groups units, or organization found among men e.g. Society of Friends, professional organization, criminal groups etc.
FEATURES OF A SOCIETY
1) It is controlled by rules/regulations, norms conventions and customs.
2) It applies sanctions on its members as a means of ensuring discipline
3) Members depends on one another for survival
4) It is characterized by a unique culture.
5) It has common history, tradition, language, religion and values.
6) It is permanent in nature
7) Membership of a society is voluntary.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STATE AND SOCIETY
1) Government is established by the state to regulate and hold society together.
2) State is concerned with social relationship expressed through government, society suggests many social relationships which may not be expressed through the state.
3) Society may be organized or unorganized, cooperative or antagonistic, while state must be organized for law and order under government.
4) A state must have definitive boundary and sovereignty. These attributes are absent in a society.
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