State and Government - What's the difference?

[CopperGoat]

I am wondering. You know how in Marixism, they talk about how profits go to the STATE, or the STATE decides, etc..... Is STATE the same as the GOVERNMENT? what's the differenece?

And also, is STATE just society?

Comments appreciated.

[Zombie]

hmmm trying to remember my politic courses from last semester, I'd have to say that a State is the ruling power over a determined population and territory, and which enjoys full national sovereignty...
A government is an ensemble of different institutions, such as the ministry of defense, of health, etc, that rules over the State. In other words, I'd say that the Government makes the head of State someway somehow..
all of this is a bit fuzzy in my head, and i'm not in the good mood to go look in my Encyclopedia for the exact definitions and concepts...
I'm sure others will correct me later on... Interesting question though.

[sc4r]

Quote: from CopperGoat on 1:26 am on May 19, 2003
I am wondering. You know how in Marixism, they talk about how profits go to the STATE, or the STATE decides, etc..... Is STATE the same as the GOVERNMENT? what's the differenece?

And also, is STATE just society?

Comments appreciated.


The state is all of the people, and all the properties they collectively have and control. Those properties can include culture, territory, wealth, influence and so on.

The government is whatever actually controls how the state behaves. The thing that makes and enforces the laws.

Society means the collective interreaction of the people within the state and is closely related to culture (although culture can span several societies).

All are however often used interchangeably and must be interpreted according to context. In most marxist writings state does mean esentially government or the government + shared assets.

The government runs the state according to the culture of the society.




(Edited by sc4r at 3:18 pm on May 19, 2003)

[Socialsmo o Muerte]

Basically, the state is an organisation which exercises control over specific territory.

A government, therefore, is the same, to an extent. However in modern soceity, many institutions and organisations can exercise control over a territory other than the political powers that be, despite them in theory, having ultimate power.

Economic corporations today have huge power and it can be argued that "McDonaldisation" or "Coca-Colaisation" have meant that today, more than just the political powers exercise power.

The basic definition of the state is the one I wrote at the top. However there have been many theorists who offered their own interpretations of what the state is, how it acts, why is acts in such ways and who it acts for. You should read into such theorists, these include:

Max Weber,
C. Wright-Mills,
Pahl and Winkler,
Talcott Parsons
Clause Offe.....

There are many more which also provide very valid and interesting theories of what the state is. We did this all in A Level Sociology. It's insanely interesting. Look it up.