A state is a set of institutions that possess the power to make the rules that govern the people in one or more societies, having internal and external sovereignty over a definite territory. Following Max Weber's influential definition, a state has a 'monopoly on legitimate violence'. Hence the state includes such institutions as the armed forces, civil service or state bureaucracy, courts, and police. For theorists of international relations, recognition of the state's claim to independence by other states, enabling it to enter into international engagements, is key to the establishment of its sovereignty.

Although the term often refers broadly to all institutions of government or rule—ancient and modern—the modern state system bears a number of characteristics that were first consolidated in western Europe, beginning in earnest in the 15th century.

In the late 20th century, the globalization of the world economy, the mobility of people and capital, and the rise of many international institutions all combined to circumscribe the freedom of action of states. However, the state remains the basic political unit of the world, as it has been since the 16th century. The state is therefore considered the most central concept in the study of politics, and its definition is the subject of intense scholarly debate. Political sociologists in the tradition of both Karl Marx and Max Weber usually favor a broad definition that draws attention to the role of coercive apparatus.

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RT @cynthiaboaz: Fact: no one individual has done more than Dick Cheney to put the United States at risk of a terrorist attack. #p2 #tcot
sarahtuthill (Sarah Tuthill) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:46:43 -0000
RT @cynthiaboaz: Fact: no one individual has done more than Dick Cheney to put the United States at risk of a terrorist attack. #p2 #tcot
@NCLR is great- supporting #latism #ldc event as they did 4 our NLM #Latino Political Training. Who knew we'd grow to >1K from 32 states?!
LatinoMovement (New Latino Movement) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:46:40 -0000
@NCLR is great- supporting #latism #ldc event as they did 4 our NLM #Latino Political Training. Who knew we'd grow to >1K from 32 states?!
Girlfriends that get mad because you on twitter talking to someone who lives on the other side of the states #whodoesthat
kicks2345 (just call me kicks) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:46:14 -0000
Girlfriends that get mad because you on twitter talking to someone who lives on the other side of the states #whodoesthat
Josh Cornwell from United States has been #featured #blogger Check his profile http://bit.ly/6vBah3 and #blog http://bit.ly/6Ek9rp
bloggersdotcom (Bloggers.com) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:46:02 -0000
Josh Cornwell from United States has been #featured #blogger Check his profile http://bit.ly/6vBah3 and #blog http://bit.ly/6Ek9rp
RT @holycrapfacts: "300 million [golf] balls are lost or discarded in the United States alone, every year." http://bit.ly/3yXjsq
maria_kosta (Maria Kosta) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:45:56 -0000
RT @holycrapfacts: "300 million [golf] balls are lost or discarded in the United States alone, every year." http://bit.ly/3yXjsq
Hindu, Groom. 25 yrs, Management - BBA/ MBA, Telugu, bangalore, Arizona, United States of America http://bit.ly/7VyeeK
bandhan (Bandhan.com) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:45:51 -0000
Hindu, Groom. 25 yrs, Management - BBA/ MBA, Telugu, bangalore, Arizona, United States of America http://bit.ly/7VyeeK

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