The context refers to circumstances surrounding an event usually in writing or publication of a book. Among such circumstances contemporary political and intellectual defect are often seen as important especially of knowledge may help to explain what an author was trying to achieve and the meaning of what is produced.
Many people use the term government and state interchangeably. They even erroneously use nation or regime to mean state. There are different definitions of the state. Many scholars have given various definitions and explanation as to what the state is depending on their background.
“The state is a broad concept that includes all the institutions and individuals that exercise power” as according to Charles Huse in 2006.
Wilson defined the state as “the people organized for long within a definite territory”.
Harold defined the state as “territorial society divided into government and subject claiming within is allotted physical area a supremacy over all other institution”.
Robert Dahl defined the state “as a system of territorial area and government”.
Garner J.W defined the state “as a community of persons more or less numerous permanently occupying a definite portion of territory independent or mere so of external control and processing an organized government to which the great number of inhabitants render habitual obedience”
Every state must have
What is Government? Government is merely an instrument of the state, through which the state authority is manifested and its purpose realized. The purpose of which people live together cannot be realized unless they are properly organized and accept certain rule of conduct and the agency created to enforce such rules and to insure obedience is called government. Government is the focus of common purpose of the people occupying a definite territory and it is through this medium that the common policies are determined, common affairs regulated and common interests promoted.
Population: population and land are the starting point of any study of man in his organized groups. It is the people who make the state. Without them, there can be no state. However, the population of a state must be large enough in able to sustain itself and a single family cannot make a state. Although there is no limit for the recognition of a state but Aristotle and Plato gave limitations. According to Plato, the population of a state should be up to 5400. Aristotle says 10,000 can make a State. However, today, large number of people is required to make a state.
Territory: it refers to the land, water, airspace without territory a state cannot be for or against.
Sovereignty and Independence: a state must have both internal and external sovereignty.
Nation: is simply a population within a state. They have common language, culture and ethnicity with a strong historical continuity (background).
Political system: is a system of politics and government. It is compared to the legal system, economic system, cultural system and other social system.
