Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Culture,
Society and
Politics
LESSON
DEFINITION, FORMS, AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE
Are you familiar with the word State? What is the State? What does
the State do?
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).
Which definition is best for you? The state is the most universal and
most powerful of all social institutions. The state is a natural institution.
Aristotle once said that man is a social animal and by nature, he is a
political being. To him, to live in the state and to be a man were identical.
Many countries in the world were known as a great state and the
Philippines, our country, is a good example of a state.
STATE SOCIETY
1. State came into existence after 1. Society is prior to the state.
the origin of the society.
2. The scope of the state is limited. 2. The scope of society is much
wider.
3. The state has power to enforce 3. Society has no power to enforce
laws. 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- there can be no state without a fixed territory. People need
territory to live and organize themselves socially and politically. It may be
remembered that the territory of the state includes land, water and air – space.
Territory is necessary for citizenship.
3. GOVERNMENT – there can be no state without government. It is the working
agency of the state as well as the political organization of the state.
Prof. Appadorai defined government as the agency through which the force of
the State is formulated, expressed, and realized.
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 at present but also 1. Modern phenomenon or occurrence.
in the ancient period.
2. It is legal political. 2. It is ethnic cultural.
3. People organized for law within a 3. People psychologically joined
definite territory. together with common will to live
together.
STATE GOVERNMENT
1. State consists of population, 1. Government is part of a state.
territory, government and sovereignty.
2. State is permanent and continues 2. Government is temporary it may
forever. come and go.
3. State possesses original powers. 3. Powers of the government are
derived from the state.
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.
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.
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1
Directions: Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct
answer on the space provided.
Column A Column B
_____1. According to Aristotle, this type of A. Prof. Appadorai
government is the most efficient as B. State
it is less prone to corruption. C. Polity
D. Sovereignty
_____2. He defined government as the E. Democracy
agency through which the force of F. Covid-19
the state is formulated, expressed
and realized.
_____3. The global pandemic that gives
uncertainty to the entire nation.
_____4. This was considered the ineffective
type of government and had a
potential for chaos and corruption.
_____5. The most universal and most powerful
of all social institutions.
ACTIVITY 2.
Direction: Identify the words that are being asked from the following statement.
Select the answers from the box below.
1. Function of the state to ensure peace within its borders. _________________
2. A government that is governed by one ruler who has efficient administration
of political and economic values. ________________
3. The Philippines is a ____________ and republican State. _____________
4. According to this leader, “state is a person organized for law within a definite
territory.” _______________
5. Aristotle argued that the rule of the few intellectuals known as __________ is
the best form of government. _________________
ACTIVITY 3:
VALUING: Filipinos are lovers of freedom and justice as seen in our society, as
to which the best course for the state to adopt to this “new normal”. In this
time of uncertainties, I believe that we should value the good sides and good
characteristics of our Kababayang Pinoy. We should retain being
_______________, _______________, _______________, _______________,
_______________ in the midst of pandemic.