State, government, nation and society

Introduction

In everyday speech people use 'the state', 'the government' and 'the nation' as if they meant the same thing. In civics each has a precise meaning, and understanding the differences helps explain why citizens may oppose a government while remaining loyal to the state.

State and government: differences

• Government is one element of the state; the state has four elements.
• The state is permanent; governments are temporary and change through elections or other means.
• The state is abstract; the government is concrete, made up of actual people such as ministers and officials.
• The state possesses sovereignty; the government exercises it on the state's behalf.
• All citizens are members of the state; only a few people form the government.
• Citizens owe loyalty to the state, but may lawfully criticize, oppose and change a government.
• Example: Pakistan as a state has existed continuously since 1947 through many different governments.

State and nation: differences

A nation is a people bound together by common history, culture, language, religion or aspirations, who feel themselves to be one.

• A nation is a psychological and cultural unity; a state is a legal and political unity.
• A nation may exist without a state of its own (for example, the Kurds); a state may contain several nationalities (for example, the UK or Pakistan).
• A state must have territory and sovereignty; a nation need not.
• When a nation achieves a state of its own, it becomes a nation-state.
• The Two-Nation Theory held that the Muslims of the subcontinent were a separate nation with their own religion, culture and history, which became the basis of the demand for the separate state of Pakistan.

State and society: differences

Society is the whole network of human relationships, including families, tribes, communities, religious groups and voluntary associations.

• Society is older than the state; people lived in families and tribes before states existed.
• Society is wider: it covers all aspects of human life, while the state deals mainly with political matters.
• Membership of social associations is voluntary; membership of the state is compulsory.
• Society relies on customs and moral pressure; the state has the power to enforce laws through punishment.
• Society may extend across borders (for example, the global Muslim ummah); the state is limited to its territory.

State and other associations

Associations such as political parties, trade unions, universities and clubs are formed for particular purposes. The state differs because it is compulsory, territorial, permanent, and sovereign, while associations are voluntary, limited in purpose, and subject to the state's laws.

Conclusion

The state is the political organization of society, the government is its agent, and the nation is the cultural and emotional bond among its people. A healthy country needs a strong state, a good government and a united nation working together.