State - What is it? characteristics, elements, functions, powers, and more

State

A political and sovereign organization that welcomes the population of a certain geographical area and is in charge of regulating society.

What is a State?

A state is a sovereign political organization that welcomes the population of a certain geographical area and is in charge of regulating society, through entities that can be external or governmental, political, social, and economic spheres.

The State should not be confused with the term nation, since the first is part of the second and, although there is always confusion, these concepts do not mean the same thing.

State Characteristics

The main characteristics of a State are the following:

• It has a specific geographical area, which is established by borders.
• Each State has the capacity to govern the settlers established in its territory with certain 
• Each state has a set of rules, which constitute and organize the principles and norms with which said State will govern.
• The population has the duty to obey the laws established in said State.

State elements

The elements that make up a State are the following:

• Sovereignty or power: the decision-making capacity that a State has over its population, without intervening in the rights of other States.
• Population: individuals who live in the territory of said State.
• Territory: geographic space determined by border limits, in which its population lives.

State functions

The main functions of a State are the following:

• Intervene in the economy directly or indirectly, through taxes or allocating resources.
• Establish rules and laws that will govern the territory.
• Establish institutions with the purpose of defending the rights established in said State and promoting public order.
• Regulate markets to achieve balance in the country's economy.
• Guarantee public resources to meet social demands.

State powers

In order for a State to achieve its established objectives, power is divided into the following 3 branches:

Executive power	Its main representative is the president. The function of this power is to administer the State, guaranteeing compliance with the rights and duties of the population, for which it has the capacity to manage foreign and domestic policy.
Legislative power	One of its functions is to sanction and reform the laws that govern a State. It is also in charge of exercising political control over the actions corresponding to the branch of the executive power.
Power of attorney	Its main function is to administer the justice of the State.

The state as an economic agent

There are three main sectors that intervene directly in the economy: families, companies, and the State; which are called economic agents. These are related to each other and are constituted as fundamental elements for the proper functioning of an economy.

The State as an economic agent has the function of collecting and administering taxes from other economic agents, that is, by families and companies. Other sectors in which the participation of the State as an economic agent affects is in its intervention in public investments to satisfy the needs of the population, influencing the purchasing power of households.

Likewise, it is the agent with the capacity to regulate the economic system through macro and microeconomic laws and guidelines.

 

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