GOVERNMENT FOR THE SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS (SS1-3)

THE STATE

DEFINITION: A state may be defined as politically organized body of people inhabiting a defined geographical entity with an organized legitimate government. The state I this respect is entirely free from external control. The power of a state is also guarantee with coercive power to secure obedience from the citizen. A state is different from empires,  kingdoms  ,etc. Nigeria Ghana U.S.A   are good examples of state

FEATURES OF A STATE

A state possesses the following features

• Permanence: The state   remain a permanence feature. Government can change many times but state  remain permanent.
• A defined territory: a state has a define territory with a limit to its size. It must have clearly defined boundaries separating from others. Things like water mountain forest etc make up the state
• Government: Though government is not a permanent feature of a state but it remain a significant feature because it’s a machinery set up by the state to pilot the affairs of the people making up that state.
• Sovereignty  :The supreme power to make decisions and enforce same on the people is with the state. The sovereignty of a state is not negotiable and must be free from external control.
• Population: this is an important attribute of a state for a state to be called a state. There must be a given number of people making up the entity.
• Recognition:  a state must be recognized both internally and externally

EVALUATION

Define the following

1. state
2. law
3. government
4. sovereignty
5. territory.