Elements of the State:

Nature of the State: A political form of human association by which a society is organized under the agency of a government that claims legitimate sovereignty over a territorial area. Authority over all of the members of the society, & the right to use physical force when necessary to insure the effective exercise of its legitimate control.
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Elements of the State:

Definition: The state is a community of people, occupying a definite territory, organized under a government, which is supreme over all persons & associations within its territory & independent of all foreign control or power.

Elements of the State:

From the definition of the state, we learn that it is composed of four essential elements or attributes: 1. Population Physical basis of the state 2. Land/Territory 3. Government Political/Spiritual basis of the 4. Sovereignty state
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Elements of the State:

1. Population: Man is by nature a social being; he cannot but living among other human beings. The state is an association of men living together. We cannot, conceive of a state without a population. The population of a state consists of three kinds of inhabitants: a) Full Members State: The citizens, who enjoy all rights & perform every duty towards their state.
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Elements of the State:

1. Population: The population of a state consists of three kinds of inhabitants: b) The Subjects/Nationals of the State: Who enjoy some rights. c) Non-Members of the State: Called aliens, who are given only civil rights of life & property. The first two categories are the real elements of the population of a state.
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Elements of the State:

2. Territory: It is the second physical basis of the state. The people must live on a definite portion of territory of an appropriate size. They must not wander from country to country, like the nomadic tribes. Wandering tribes do not form a state. When a people live together on a particular territory, they develop community of interests & patriotism, which are necessary elements of statehood.
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Elements of the State:

3. Government: A people living permanently on a definite territory do not form a state without a government to which they render habitual obedience. The state is nothing if there is no government to make it real. A people without a government is a mere assemblage of human beings & not a politically organized community.
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Elements of the State:

3. Government: Government is the machinery or agency through which the will of the state is formulated & expressed The state plans & acts through the government. If the people are the limbs & the territory the body, the government is the head of the state.

Elements of the State:

4. Sovereignty: It means the supreme, original & unlimited power exercised over all persons & associations within the boundaries of the state, independent of every outside power. It is the soul of the state. The state alone is the sovereign association. It has two aspects: Internally the state is supreme over all persons & associations. Externally it is independent of all foreign control/power.
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