How does the state differ from the country? What is the difference between a country and a state?

Do you know how the state differs from the country? After all, we are used to the fact that both terms are identical. However, this is allowed only in common speech. When these words are uttered by scientists or political scientists, for example, they invest a different meaning in them. It would be nice to understand this in order not to be confused. If you understand, it turns out that the difference between the country and the state is large enough. Although there are common features, why did the relative identity of concepts arise.

What is the state?

Any question should be studied with definitions. When we understand how the state differs from the country, we immediately encounter a problem. The fact is that science has not reached complete agreement in deciphering the latter term. Most specialists use a rather confusing and complicated explanation. In their opinion, the state is a political entity that establishes rules and possesses sovereignty in a certain territory. In addition, it has a management apparatus, including enforcement and protection mechanisms. Agree, it is still unclear what the state differs from the country. After all, all the listed signs, we are quite confidently attributing the latter. The country has an army, police, government? So what's the difference?

Let's dig deeper. The word "state" occurred in Russia. In ancient times, the princes ruled the lands. The main "sovereign" was named. He was the highest judge for all the inhabitants of the territory. By the way, the "sovereign" came from the "Lord." That is, the prince, and later the king, recognized as governor of God on earth. It turns out that according to etymology the term "state" has a spiritual essence. This is not quite a mechanism, as scientists explain to us.

Signs of the State

The country's scientists decided to name the territory that has political borders. It, unlike the state, does not have sovereignty. That is, it is in a subordinate position in relation to another power. It can not make independent (sovereign) decisions. An example of a country is the British Virgin Islands. This territory has borders. But she is ruled by the queen. It turns out that the country's independence from other states is absent. She has a liege lord, sovereign master. The state is characterized by the following characteristics:

• Presence of power acting on behalf of the people (public);
• Publication of legislative acts regulating the life of society;
• Economic independence;
• Symbols and a single official language.

Sovereignty

Finding out how the state differs from the country, we will inevitably face the issue of independence. After all, symbols, the economy, as the bureaucracy and the police, are in the countries. But they do not belong to the people, they do not work to fulfill the aspirations and aspirations of citizens. It turns out that the main feature of the state is the country's independence from other states, inadmissibility of violation of the will of society. And it is expressed through a plebiscite. Simply put, people choose representatives who are required to work for the realization of their interests. Either this function is performed by the elite, which plays a decisive role in the fact of birth. However, any spokesman for the will of the people does not allow outside interference in the affairs of the state. By the way, who makes decisions depends on the political system. There are two main ones. About them in more detail.

Forms of state organization

History shows us that power in Russia before the revolution and after was organized in various ways. In the UK, it is concentrated in the hands of the queen, in the US - divided between the president and the parliament. There are countries in which the head of state performs only representative functions, and serious decisions are made by the elected body. It happens the other way around. For example, in Russia, most of the power is concentrated in the hands of the president. And in Germany, a person holding a similar post, only accepts foreign guests and participates in other public events. Decisions are made by the Chancellor. Forms of government are as follows:

• Monarchy (autocracy);
• Republic (democracy).

In the first case, one person manages the company, which inherits this right (mostly). In the republic, however, the power belongs to the people, who delegates it to their representatives through a plebiscite.

Conclusion

In the modern world, the difference of concepts becomes more and more complicated. Some experts say that there is no practical sense in what the concept of a country differs from a state. After all, over many territories, power is given to huge corporations. They take away their sovereignty on the sly, using mostly economic instruments. Judge for yourself, what kind of independence can be discussed, if the state should more than earns in a year. And there are many such in the world. On the fingers you can list the powers whose sovereign debt is much less than GDP. Therefore, world politics is so complex.