Political relations represent the hierarchical levels of power of various actors and the interaction of social actors in order to achieve the intended political goals.

Politics (from politike - Greek public affairs) is a field of activity related to the coordination of the interests of individual social groups, with the goal of conquering, organizing and using state power and managing social processes on behalf of society and with the aim of maintaining the vitality of the civic community.

Politics finds its expression in political ideas, theories, in the activities of the state, political parties, organizations, associations and other political institutions. In their totality, the dominant political ideas, theories, the state, political parties, organizations, methods and methods of their activity form the political system of society. The concept of "political system" allows the most complete and consistent disclosure of the socio-political nature of society, the existing political relations in it, norms and principles of the organization of power.

The structure of the political system includes:

1. An institutional subsystem, consisting of various social and political institutions and organizations, the most important of which is the state.
2. Normative (regulatory), acting in the form of political and legal norms and other means of regulating the relationship between the subjects of the political system.
3. Political and ideological, which includes a set of political ideas, theories and views, on the basis of which various social and political institutions are formed and function as elements of the political system of society.
4. A functional subsystem containing the main forms and directions in the activity of the political system, the ways and means of its influence on public life, which finds expression in political relations and the political regime.

The main institution of the political system is the state. There are a number of theories explaining the nature and ways of the state.

From the point of view of the theory of "natural origin" the state is the result of the mutual influence of natural and social factors, in it the principles of the natural distribution of power (in the forms of domination and subordination) in nature (the teachings of the state of Plato and Aristotle) \u200b\u200bare expressed.

Social contract theory considers the state to be the result of the agreement of all members of society. Coercive power, the only manager of which is the state, is exercised in the general interests, since it maintains order and legality (T. Hobbes, D. Locke, J.-J. Rousseau).

From the point of view of Marxism, the state appeared as a result of social division of the heap, the emergence of private property, classes and exploitation. Because of this, it is an instrument of oppression in the hands of the ruling class (K. Marx, F. Engels, V. I. Lenin).

The "theory of conquest (conquest)" considers the state to be the result of the subordination of some peoples to others and the need to organize the management of the conquered territories (L. Gumplovich, Guizot, Thierry).

"Patriarchal": The state is a form of expanded patriarchal (from Latin father) power, traditional for primitive forms of social organization, serving as an expression of common interests and serving the common good. (R. Filmer).

In the framework of the modern approach to the problem, the state is understood as the main institution of the political system, organizing, directing and controlling the joint activities and relations of people, social groups and associations.

As the main political institution, the state differs from other institutions of society in its characteristics and functions.

The following features are common to the state:

The territory outlined by the boundaries of the state;
- sovereignty, i.e. supreme power within the boundaries of a certain territory, which is embodied in its right to legislate;
- the presence of specialized management institutions, state apparatus;
- legal order - the state acts within the framework of the rules of law established by it and is limited by it;
- Citizenship - a legal union of persons residing in the territory controlled by the state;
- monopoly illegal use of force on behalf of society and in its interests;
- The right to collect taxes and fees from the population.

With a modern interpretation of the essence of the state, its main functions can be distinguished:

Protection of the existing social order,
- maintaining stability and order in society,
- prevention of socially dangerous conflicts,
- regulation of the economy, implementation of domestic and foreign policy,
- protection of the interests of the state in the international arena,
- implementation of ideological activities, defense of the country.

The most important functions of modern state regulation of the national economy of the Republic of Belarus may be:

Realization of the functions of the owner of state property, acting on the market on equal terms with subjects of other forms of ownership;
- formation of a mechanism for economic regulation, support and stimulation of the work of innovative business entities;
- development and implementation of market structural policy using effective monetary, tax and pricing instruments;
- provision of economic and social protection of the population.

To carry out these functions, the state forms a complex of special bodies and institutions that make up the structure of the state, which includes the following institutions of state power:

1. Representative bodies of state power. They are subdivided into the highest representative bodies with legislative power (parliament), and local authorities and self-government bodies, formed in accordance with the administrative-territorial division of the country.
2. Organs government controlled... Distinguish between the highest (government), central (ministries, departments) and local executive bodies.
3. Organs judiciary and prosecutors administer justice in resolving conflicts, restoring violated rights, punishing lawbreakers.
4. Army, public order and state security bodies.

To understand the essence of the state as a ruling institution, it is important to clarify such aspects of it as the forms of state power structure, forms of government and political regime. The form of government is understood as the organization of the supreme power and the procedure for its formation. On this basis, two main forms are traditionally distinguished: monarchy and republic.

Monarchy is a form of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of the sole head of state. The following features are inherent in the monarchy: lifelong rule, the hereditary order of succession of the supreme power, the absence of the principle of legal responsibility of the monarch.

A republic is a form of government in which the highest bodies of state power are either elected by the people or formed by nationwide representative institutions. The following elements are inherent in the republican government: the collegial nature of the bodies of supreme power, the elective nature of the main posts, the term of which is limited in time, the delegative nature of the powers of the government, which are given to it and taken back in the process of popular will, the legal responsibility of the head of state.

The forms of the national-territorial structure characterize the internal organization of the state, the existing formula for the correlation of the powers of the central and regional authorities:

A unitary state is a state that is subdivided into administrative-territorial units that have the same status.
- Federation is a union state entities, independent within the limits of the powers distributed between them and the federal center.
- Confederation - a union of sovereign states, which is created for the implementation of specific joint goals.

A political regime is understood as a set of institutional, cultural and sociological elements that contribute to the formation of the political power of a given country in a certain period of time. The classification of political regimes is carried out according to the following criteria: the nature of political leadership, the mechanism of power formation, the role of political parties, the relationship between the legislative and executive branches, the role and importance of non-governmental organizations and structures, the role of ideology in the life of society, the position of funds mass media, the role and significance of the organs of suppression, type political behavior.

X. Linz's typology includes three types of political regimes: totalitarian, authoritarian, democratic:

Totalitarianism is a political regime that exercises control over all spheres of society.

Its features are:

A rigid pyramid of central authority;
- centralized economy;
- striving to achieve homogeneity in all phenomena of life;
- the domination of one party, one ideology;
- monopoly on the media, etc.

All this leads to the restriction of the rights and freedoms of the individual, to the implantation of a true subject, with elements of slavery, the psychology of the masses.

Authoritarianism is a political regime established by a form of power that is concentrated in the hands of a sole ruler or ruling group and reduces the role of other, primarily representative institutions. The characteristic features of authoritarian regimes are: the concentration of power in the hands of one person or the ruling group, the unlimited nature of power powers that go far beyond the limits defined for them by law, the lack of control of power by citizens, the government does not allow political opposition and competition, restriction of political rights and freedoms of citizens, the use of repression to fight opponents of the regime.

A democratic regime is a political regime in which the people are the source of power. Democracy is characterized by the following features: the presence of mechanisms that ensure the practical implementation of the principle of popular sovereignty, the absence of restrictions on the participation of all categories of citizens in the political process, periodic election of the main bodies of power, public control over the adoption of major political decisions, the absolute priority of legal methods of implementation and change of power, ideological pluralism and competition of opinions.

Civil society should be the consequence of the establishment of a democratic political regime. It is a society with developed economic, cultural, legal and political relations between its members, independent of the state, but interacting and cooperating with it. The economic basis of civil society is the separation of economic and political relations, the presence of an economically free person, private and collective types of property. The political and legal basis is political pluralism. The spiritual basis is the highest moral values \u200b\u200bthat exist in a given society at this stage of development. The main element of civil society is a person perceived as a person striving for self-affirmation and self-realization, which is possible only if the individual's rights to individual freedom in the political and economic spheres are ensured.

The idea of \u200b\u200bcivil society emerged in the middle of the 17th century. For the first time, the term "civil society" was used by G. Leibniz. T. Hobbes, J. Locke, C. Montesquieu, who relied on the ideas of natural law and social contract, made a significant contribution to the development of problems of civil society. The condition for the emergence of a civil society is the emergence of economic independence for all citizens of the society on the basis of private property.

The structure of civil society:

Social and political organizations and movements (environmental, anti-war, human rights, etc.);
- unions of entrepreneurs, consumer associations, charitable foundations; - scientific and cultural organizations, sports societies;
- municipal communes, voter associations, political clubs;
- independent media;
- church;
- a family.

Civil society functions:

Satisfaction of material, spiritual needs of a person;
- protection of private spheres of people's lives;
- restraining political power from absolute domination;
- stabilization of social relations and processes.

The concept of the rule of law has deep historical and theoretical roots. It was developed by D. Locke, C. Montesquieu, T. Jefferson, and substantiates the legal equality of all citizens, the priority of human rights over the laws of the state, non-interference of the state in the affairs of civil society.

The rule of law is a state in which the rule of law is ensured, the sovereignty of the people is affirmed as a source of power, the subordination of the state to society. It clearly defines the mutual obligations of managers and governed, the prerogatives of political power and individual rights. Such self-restraint of the state is possible only with the division of powers into legislative, executive and judicial, excluding the possibility of monopolizing it in the hands of one person or body.

The rule of law implies:

1. Rule of law.
2. The universality of law, bound by the law of the state itself and its bodies.
3. Mutual responsibility of the state and the individual.
4. State protection of lawfully acquired property and citizens' savings.
5. Separation of powers.
6. The inviolability of the freedom of the individual, his rights, honor and dignity.

The rule of law is a state limited in its actions by law. Law is a system of generally binding norms (rules of conduct) established and protected by the state, designed to regulate and streamline social relations. The close relationship with the state distinguishes law from other normative systems, in particular from morality and ethics.

In modern society, there are various branches of law that regulate activities and relationships in all important areas. public life... It reinforces property relations. Acts as a regulator of measures and forms of distribution of labor and its products between members of society (civil and labor law), regulates the organization and activities of the state mechanism (constitutional and administrative law), determines measures to combat encroachment on existing social relations and the procedure for resolving conflicts in society ( criminal law), affects the forms of interpersonal relations (family law). It has a special role and specificity. international law... It is created through agreements between states and regulates relations between them.

Acting as an important and necessary instrument of public administration, as a form of implementation of public policy, law is at the same time the most important indicator of the position of an individual in society and the state. The rights, freedoms and duties of a person and a citizen, which constitute the legal status of an individual, are the most important component law, which characterizes the development and democracy of the entire legal system.

the name of the unicameral parliament in Hungary and Estonia, as well as the legislative body of power in a number of republics within the Russian Federation: Altai, Bashkortostan, Mari El, Mordovia.

State coup

violent and committed in violation of the constitution, overthrow or change of the constitutional (state) system, or the seizure (appropriation) of state power by anyone.

STATE COUNCIL - 1) the highest advisory body under the Russian emperor in 1810-1906. In 1906, in connection with the creation of the State Duma, it was transformed: half of the members of the So. was appointed by the emperor, and half were elected from special estate and professional curiae. Liquidated as a result of the February Revolution of 1917; 2) in France, Spain, Belgium, etc. - one of the central state institutions, which is either the highest body of administrative justice, or the body of constitutional control; 3) the official name of the government in Sweden, Norway, Finland, China and a number of other states.

THE STATE is the central institution of the political system, a special form of organization of political power in society, possessing sovereignty, a monopoly on the use of legalized violence and managing society with the help of a special mechanism (apparatus).

The term "G." used in narrow and broad meanings: 1) in a narrow meaning - as an institution of domination, as a bearer of state power; G. exists in the form of something that opposes "society"; 2) broadly - as a state-formalized universality, a union of citizens, as a community; here it denotes the whole embracing "G." (in the narrow sense) and "society".

Ancient thought did not know the essential division of public and state life, seeing in the latter only a way of solving the "common affairs" of all citizens. The Middle Ages were limited to a statement of the divine essence of G. The distinction between the state-political sphere proper begins in the New Age. From the XVI-XVII centuries. the term "G." began to designate all state formations, which were previously called "princely rule", "city community", "republic", etc. The merit of introducing the concept of G. belongs to N. Machiavelli, who used the term "stato" (< лат. status положение, статус), которым он объединил такие понятия, как «республика» и «единовластное правление». Сначала термин «Г.» укореняется в Испании (estado) и во Франции (etat), позднее - в Германии (Staat). С этого времени понятия «Г.» и «гражданское общество» стали различаться. К XVIII в. с завершением становления европейского понятия нации-государства оно решительно и повсеместно вытесняет широкое понятие республики как политического сообщества вообще.

Depending on the peculiarities of the relationship between power and the individual, the embodiment of rationality, the principles of freedom and human rights in the state structure, the following types of state are distinguished in political science: traditional (prevailing spontaneously and having unlimited power over subjects) and constitutional (limiting power by law and based on the principle of separation of powers).

The most important constituent features of G. are territory, population (people), and sovereign power.

Territory as a sign of G. is indivisible, inviolable, exclusive, inalienable. The population, as an element of a city, is a human community that lives on the territory of a given city and is subject to its authority. State power is sovereign, i.e. has supremacy within the country and independence in relations with other states. Being sovereign, state power, firstly, is universal, extending to the entire population and all public organizations; secondly, it has the prerogative to abolish any manifestation of all other public authorities; thirdly, it has exceptional means of influence that no one else has at its disposal (army, police, prisons, etc.).

G. performs a number of functions that distinguish it from other political institutions. Functions reflect the main directions in G.'s activities in fulfilling his mission. The internal functions of G. include economic, social, organizational, legal, political, educational, cultural and educational, and other functions. Among the external functions, one should single out the function of mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic, political, cultural and other spheres with other states and the function of the country's defense.

ASSOCIATED STATE

The concept used to designate a special form of interstate, and in fact often intrastate relations. As a rule, under G. and. means a state that has voluntarily transferred to another state part of its sovereignty (most often, the authority to ensure defense and the implementation of foreign policy relations, the authority to organize money circulation). Thus, Puerto Rico is considered a state associated with the United States. The Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993) does not provide for the possibility of being a member of Russian Federation G. a.

BUFFER STATE - a state located between the territories of two or more major powers. G. b. is on the path of a probable military invasion, important transport communications pass through its territory. Such a state allows you to control a geopolitically advantageous region. In history, only the XX century. quite a few states acted as buffers. For example, during the Franco-German rivalry, which became one of the reasons for the two world wars, as G. b. performed by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg. In the collision of interests of Russia and England in Asia (at the beginning of the 20th century), the role of buffers was played by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), Iran, Afghanistan, and the Tibetan state.

THE STATE OF UNIVERSAL WELL-BEING is a concept that considers modern capitalist society as capable, with the development of science, technology and economics, to provide a relatively high standard of living for all its members. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe state is postulated as a neutral, "supra-class" force capable of satisfying the interests of all social strata.

THE STATE OF LEGAL - a legal form of organization and activity of public-political power and its relationship with individuals as subjects of law.

The idea of \u200b\u200bG.p. has a long history and occupies an important place in the political teachings of the past. However, the emergence of a holistic concept of G. p. refers to the end of the 18th - the beginning of the 19th centuries, the period of the formation of bourgeois society, when in historically progressive political theories comprehensive criticism of feudal arbitrariness and lawlessness, absolutist and police regimes was carried out, the ideas of humanism, the principles of freedom and equality of all people, non-,) alienation human rights, the usurpation of public political power and its irresponsibility to people and society were resolutely rejected. Naturally, for all the novelty of the ideas and concepts of the trademark, developed by G. Grotius, B. Spinoza, J. Locke, C. L. Montesquieu, T. Jefferson, and others, relied on the experience of the past, on the achievements of predecessors, on the historically established and tested universal human values \u200b\u200band humanistic traditions.

Power- there is the ability and ability of some to model the behavior of others, i.e. to force them to do something against their will by any means - ranging from persuasion to violence.

- the ability of a social subject (individual, group, stratum) to impose and carry out their will with the help of legal and norms and a special institution -.

Power is a necessary condition for sustainable development of society in all its spheres.

Allocate power: political, economic, spiritual family, etc. Economic power is based on the right and ability of the owner of any resources to influence the production of goods and services, spiritual - on the ability of the owners of knowledge, ideology, information to influence the change in people's consciousness.

Political power is power (the power to impose will) transferred by a community to a social institution.

Political power can be subdivided into state, regional, local, party, corporate, clan power, etc. State power is provided by state institutions (parliament, government, court, law enforcement agencies, etc.), as well as a legal framework. Other types of political power are provided by appropriate organizations, legislation, statutes and instructions, traditions and customs, public opinion.

Structural elements of power

Considering power as the ability and ability of some to model the behavior of others, should you find out where this ability comes from? Why, in the course of social interaction, people are divided into those who rule and those who are subject? In order to answer these questions, one must know what the power is based on, i.e. what are its grounds (sources). They are countless. And, nevertheless, among them there are those that are classified as universal, present in one proportion or another (or form) in any power relation.

In this regard, it is necessary to turn to the accepted in political science classifications of the grounds (sources) of power, and to understand what type of power give rise to such of them as force or threat of the use of force, wealth, knowledge, law, charisma, prestige, authority, etc.

Special attention should be paid to the argumentation (evidence) of the position that power relationships are not only dependencies but also interdependencies. That, with the exception of forms of direct violence, there is no absolute power in nature. All power is relative. And it is built not only on the dependence of the subject from the rulers, but also on the dependence of the dominant on the subject. Although the volumes of this dependence are different for them.

The most close attention is also required to clarify the essence of the differences in approaches to the interpretation of power and power relations among political scientists representing different political schools. (functionalists, taxonomists, behaviorists). And also what is behind the definitions of power as a characteristic of an individual, as a resource, as a structure (interpersonal, causal, philosophical), etc.

The main features of political (state) power

Political power is a kind of power complex, including both the state power, which plays the role of "first violin" in it, and the power of all other institutional subjects of politics in the person of political parties, mass socio-political organizations and movements, independent media, etc.

It is also necessary to take into account that state power as the most socialized form and core of political power differs from all other powers (including political ones) by a number of essential features giving it a universal character. In this regard, one must be ready to disclose the content of such concepts-signs of this power as universality, publicity, supremacy, monocentrism, a variety of resources, a monopoly on the legitimate (i.e., provided and stipulated by law) use of force, etc.

With state (or, in a broader sense, with political) power, concepts such as "Political domination", "legality" and "legitimacy".The first of these concepts is used to denote the process of institutionalization of power, i.e. its consolidation in society as an organized force (in the form of a hierarchical system of power institutions and institutions), functionally designed to exercise general leadership and control of the social organism.

The institutionalization of power in the form of political domination means the structuring in society of the relations of command and subordination, order and execution, the organizational division of managerial labor and usually associated privileges, on the one hand, and executive activity, on the other.

As for the concepts of "legality" and "legitimacy", although the etymology of these concepts is similar (in French the words "legal" and "legitime" are translated as legal), in terms of content they are not synonymous concepts. The first concept (legality) emphasizes the legal aspects of power and acts as an integral part of political domination, i.e. the consolidation (institutionalization) of power regulated by the law and its functioning in the form of a hierarchical system of state bodies and institutions. With clearly defined steps of order and execution.

The legitimacy of political power

- a political property of a public authority, which means that the majority of citizens recognize the correctness and legality of its formation and functioning. Any power that rests on popular consensus is legitimate.

Power and Power Relations

Many people, including some political scientists, believe that the struggle to gain power, its distribution, retention and use are essence of politics... This point of view was shared, for example, by the German sociologist M. Weber. One way or another, the doctrine of power has become one of the most important in political science.

Power in general is the ability of one subject to impose his will on other subjects.

Power is not just the relationship of someone with someone, it is always asymmetric ratio, i.e. unequal, dependent, allowing one individual to influence and change the behavior of another.

The foundations of powerin the very general view act unmet needs some and the possibility of their satisfaction from others on certain conditions.

Power is a necessary attribute of any organization, any human group. Without power, there is no organization and no order. In any joint activity of people there are those who command and those who obey them; those who make decisions and those who execute them. Power is characterized by the activities of those who govern.

Sources of power:

• authority- power as a force of habit, traditions, internized cultural values;
• power - "naked power", in the arsenal of which there is nothing but violence and suppression;
• wealth- stimulating, rewarding power, which includes negative sanctions for uncomfortable behavior;
• knowledge - the power of competence, professionalism, the so-called "expert power";
• charisma - the leader's power, built on the deification of the leader, endowing him with supernatural abilities;
• prestige- identifying (identifying) power, etc.

The need for power

The social nature of people's lives turns power into social phenomenon... Power is expressed in the ability of united people to ensure the achievement of their agreed goals, to assert generally accepted values \u200b\u200band to interact. In undeveloped communities, power is dissolved, it belongs to all together and to no one separately. But already here the public authority acquires the character of the community's right to influence the behavior of individuals. However, the inevitable difference of interests in any society violates political communication, cooperation, and consistency. This leads to the disintegration of this form of power due to its low efficiency, and ultimately to the loss of the ability to achieve agreed goals. In this case, the real prospect is the collapse of this community.

To prevent this from happening, public power is transferred to the elected or appointed people - the rulers. Rulers receive from the community the authority (full power, public authority) to manage public relations, that is, to change the activity of subjects in accordance with the law. The need for management is explained by the fact that people in relations with each other are very often guided not by reason, but by passions, which leads to the loss of the purpose of the community. Therefore, the ruler must have a strength that would keep people within the framework of an organized community, would exclude extreme manifestations of selfishness and aggression in social relations, ensuring universal survival.

Political public power is a defining feature of the state. The term "power" means the ability to influence in the right direction, to subordinate one's will, to impose it on those who are subject. Such relations are established between the population and a special stratum of people that governs it - they are otherwise called officials, bureaucrats, managers, political elite, and so on. The power of the political elite has an institutionalized character, that is, it is exercised through bodies and institutions united in a single hierarchical system. The apparatus or mechanism of the state is the material expression of state power. The most important state bodies include legislative, executive, judicial bodies, but a special place in the apparatus of the state has always been occupied by bodies carrying out coercive, including punitive functions - the army, police, gendarmerie, prison and correctional labor institutions. A hallmark of state power from other types of power (political, party, family) is its publicity or universality, universality, general validity of its instructions.

The sign of publicity means, firstly, that the state is a special power that does not merge with society, but stands above it. Secondly, the state power externally and officially represents the entire society. The universality of state power means its ability to resolve any issues affecting common interests. The stability of state power, its ability to make decisions, implement them, depends on its legitimacy. The legitimacy of power means, firstly, its legality, that is, establishment by means and methods that are recognized as fair, due, lawful, moral, secondly, its support by the population and, thirdly, its international recognition.

Only the state has the right to issue normative legal acts that are binding on everyone.

Without law and legislation, the state is unable to effectively govern society. The law allows the authorities to make their decisions generally binding for the population of the entire country in order to direct the behavior of the people in the right direction. As the official representative of the whole society, the state, in necessary cases, demands legal norms with the help of special bodies - courts, administrations and so on.

Only the state collects taxes and fees from the population.

Taxes are compulsory and non-repayable payments collected within a predetermined time frame in a certain amount. Taxes are necessary for the maintenance of government bodies, law enforcement agencies, the army, for maintaining the social sphere, for creating reserves in case of emergencies and for performing other general affairs.

State - the organization of political power that manages society and ensures order and stability in it.

The main signs of the state are: the presence of a certain territory, sovereignty, a broad social base, a monopoly on legitimate violence, the right to collect taxes, the public nature of power, the presence of state symbols.

The state fulfills internal functions, among which - economic, stabilization, coordination, social, etc. There are external functions, the most important of which are the provision of defense and the establishment of international cooperation.

By form of government states are divided into monarchies (constitutional and absolute) and republics (parliamentary, presidential and mixed). Depending on the forms of government distinguish unitary states, federations and confederations.

The state

The state - This is a special organization of political power, which has a special apparatus (mechanism) for managing society to ensure its normal activities.

IN historical plan, the state can be defined as a social organization that has ultimate power over all people living within the boundaries of a certain territory, and has its main goal to solve common problems and ensure the common good while maintaining, above all, order.

IN structural On the other hand, the state appears as an extensive network of institutions and organizations that personify three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial.

Government is sovereign, that is, supreme, in relation to all organizations and individuals within the country, as well as independent, independent in relation to other states. The state is the official representative of the whole society, of all its members, called citizens.

The loans taken from the population and received from them are directed to the maintenance of the state apparatus of power.

The state is a universal organization characterized by a number of unparalleled attributes and characteristics.

State signs

• Coercion - state coercion is primary and priority in relation to the right to coerce other subjects within a given state and is carried out by specialized bodies in situations determined by law.
• Sovereignty - The state has the highest and unlimited power over all individuals and organizations operating within historically established boundaries.
• Universality - the state acts on behalf of the entire society and extends its power to the entire territory.

State signs are the territorial organization of the population, state sovereignty, tax collection, lawmaking. The state subordinates to itself the entire population living in a certain territory, regardless of the administrative-territorial division.

State attributes

• Territory is defined by the boundaries dividing the spheres of sovereignty of individual states.
• The population is the subjects of the state, to which its power extends and under whose protection they are.
• Apparatus - a system of organs and the presence of a special "class of officials" through which the state functions and develops. The publication of laws and regulations binding on the entire population of a given state is carried out by the state legislative body.

State concept

The state appears at a certain stage in the development of society as a political organization, as an institution of power and management of society. There are two main concepts of the emergence of the state. In accordance with the first concept, the state arises in the course of the natural development of society and the conclusion of an agreement between citizens and rulers (T. Hobbes, J. Locke). The second concept goes back to the ideas of Plato. She rejects the first and insists that the state arises as a result of the conquest (conquest) of a relatively small group of militant and organized people (tribe, race), significantly outnumbering, but less organized population (D. Hume, F. Nietzsche). Obviously, in the history of mankind, both the first and the second methods of the emergence of the state took place.

As already mentioned, in the beginning the state was the only political organization in society. Later, in the course of the development of the political system of society, other political organizations (parties, movements, blocs, etc.) arise.

The term "state" is usually used in a broad and narrow sense.

In a broad sense the state is identified with society, with a certain country. For example, we say: "UN member states", "NATO member states", "India state". In the examples given, the state refers to entire countries together with their peoples living in a certain territory. This view of the state dominated in antiquity and in the Middle Ages.

In a narrow sense the state is understood as one of the institutions of the political system that has supreme power in society. This understanding of the role and place of the state is substantiated during the formation of the institutions of civil society (XVIII - XIX centuries), when the political system and social structure of society become more complex, it becomes necessary to separate state institutions and institutions from society and other non-state institutions of the political system.

The state is the main socio-political institution of society, the core of the political system. Possessing sovereign power in society, it controls the life of people, regulates relations between various social strata and classes, and is responsible for the stability of society and the safety of its citizens.

The state has a complex organizational structure, which includes the following elements: legislative institutions, executive and administrative bodies, the judicial system, public order and state security bodies, armed forces, etc. All this allows the state to perform not only the functions of managing society, but also the functions of coercion (institutionalized violence) against both individual citizens and large social communities (classes, estates, nation). So, during the years of Soviet power in the USSR, many classes and estates were virtually destroyed (bourgeoisie, merchants, prosperous peasants, etc.), whole peoples were subjected to political repression (Chechens, Ingush, Crimean Tatars, Germans, etc.).

State signs

The main subject political activities recognized by the state. FROM functional From the point of view, the state is the leading political institution that manages society and ensures order and stability in it. FROM organizational From the point of view, the state is an organization of political power that enters into relations with other subjects of political activity (for example, citizens). In this sense, the state is considered as a set of political institutions (courts, social security system, army, bureaucracy, local authorities, etc.) responsible for organizing social life and funded by the community.

Signsthat distinguish the state from other subjects of political activity are as follows:

Presence of a certain territory - the jurisdiction of the state (the right to rule the court and resolve legal issues) is determined by its territorial boundaries. Within these boundaries, the power of the state extends to all members of society (both those who have the citizenship of the country and those who do not);

Sovereignty - the state is completely independent in internal affairs and in the conduct of foreign policy;

Variety of resources used - the state accumulates the main power resources (economic, social, spiritual, etc.) to exercise its powers;

Striving to represent the interests of the whole society - the state acts on behalf of the whole society, not individuals or social groups;

Monopoly on legitimate violence - the state has the right to use force to enforce laws and punish violators;

Right to collect taxes - the state establishes and collects various taxes and fees from the population, which are used to finance government bodies and solve various administrative problems;

The public nature of power - the state ensures the protection of public interests, not private ones. In the implementation of public policy, personal relations usually do not arise between the authorities and citizens;

The presence of symbols - the state has its own signs of statehood - a flag, coat of arms, anthem, special symbols and attributes of power (for example, a crown, scepter and orb in some monarchies), etc.

In a number of contexts, the concept of "state" is perceived as close in meaning to the concepts of "country", "society", "government", but this is not so.

Country - the concept is primarily cultural and geographical. This term is usually used when talking about area, climate, natural zones, population, nationalities, religions, etc. The state is a political concept and means political organization of that other country - its form of government and structure, political regime, etc.

Society Is a broader concept than the state. For example, a society can be above the state (society is like all mankind) or pre-state (such are the tribe and the primitive clan). At the present stage, the concepts of society and the state do not coincide either: the public authority (say, the layer of professional managers) is relatively independent and isolated from the rest of society.

Government - only a part of the state, its supreme administrative and executive body, an instrument for exercising political power. The state is a stable institution, while governments come and go.

General signs of the state

Despite all the variety of types and forms of state formations that arose earlier and exist at the present time, it is possible to distinguish common features that are more or less characteristic of any state. In our opinion, these features were most fully and reasonedly presented by V.P. Pugachev.

These signs include the following:

• public power, separated from society and not coinciding with social organization; the presence of a special stratum of people exercising political control over society;
• a certain territory (political space), outlined by boundaries, to which the laws and powers of the state apply;
• sovereignty - the supreme power over all citizens living in a certain territory, their institutions and organizations;
• monopoly on the legal use of force. Only the state has "legal" grounds to restrict the rights and freedoms of citizens and even take their lives. For these purposes, it has special power structures: army, police, courts, prisons, etc. P.;
• the right to levy taxes and fees from the population, which are necessary for the maintenance of state bodies and material support of state policy: defense, economic, social, etc .;
• mandatory membership in the state. A person receives citizenship from the moment of birth. Unlike membership in a party or other organizations, citizenship is a necessary attribute of any person;
• a claim to represent the whole of society as a whole and to protect common interests and goals. In reality, however, no state or other organization is able to fully reflect the interests of all social groups, classes and individual citizens of society.

All functions of the state can be divided into two main types: internal and external.

By doing internal functions the activities of the state are aimed at managing society, at coordinating the interests of various social strata and classes, at maintaining their powers of power. By implementing external functions, the state acts as a subject international relationsrepresenting a certain people, territory and sovereign power.