Three features of the state as the central institution of the political system. preferably with explanation

Functions of social institutions:

1) reproduction of members of society(family, state, etc.);

2) socialization- transfer to individuals established in this society patterns of behavior and methods of activity (family, education, religion);

3) production and distribution(economic and social institutions of management and control - authorities);

4) control and monitoring functions(carried out through the system social norms and prescriptions)

Conditions for the successful functioning of social institutions:

1) a clear definition of the purpose and scope of the actions to be performed,

2) rational division of labor and its rational organization,

3) depersonalization of actions,

4) conflict-free inclusion in the global system of institutions.

The state has all the features and functions of social. institutions.

Functions of the State:

1. Ensuring integrity and stability, military, economic, security;

2. Protection of the constitution and the right to rule of law, guarantee of rights and freedoms;

3. Providing conditions for the development of public life;

4. Regulation of public relations on the basis of rights;

5.Coordination of interests based on compromise;

6.Control to improve management efficiency;

7. Ensuring national interests in the world community.

The largest social institution is the state. The state arises from certain social needs, with a certain target orientation, it quite clearly implements social stratification, revealing social statuses and positions, there are pronounced signs of a social institution.

The state already clearly separates the governing and managed subsystems. The most important place in the structure of the state as social institution(the public-power organization of class society) belongs to the state apparatus. The state apparatus is the necessary committee that, by virtue of the division of labor within the public-power form, the organization of class society, exercises the functions of this organization and class power.

The main function of the state is to form such a social environment that would contain the prerequisites for the development of dominant production relations and the class of owners itself.

Another no less important function of the state is to suppress the resistance of the oppressed classes, to establish relations of domination and subordination. Domination is nothing more than the imposition of the wolf class on the rest of society through the application of institutional coercion. Coercion is carried out by various forms of influence, including ideological ones. Ideology in this regard appears as an instrument of the ruling classes, functioning in the state to introduce into the consciousness of the masses the principles and ideals that contribute to the implementation of class domination.

THE STATE IS THE CENTRAL INSTITUTE
POLITICAL SYSTEM
The difference between the state and others political institutions
- The highest concentration of power
- sovereignty within certain territorial boundaries
- the ability to exercise coercion
- monopoly on lawmaking
- monopoly on tax collection
- main control center political system
State functions
external
Defense of the country
Cooperation with others
countries
domestic
1. Protection of the constitutional order
2. Development and implementation of a general
for country policy in
economic, social, spiritual
and other areas of society

Shows the features of the device and
functioning of the state.

Characterizes the composition of the supreme bodies of the state
authorities, the order of their formation, organization and order
interactions between themselves and the population.
1.supreme power
belongs
to one person
1. source of power - the people
2. supreme power
carried out
representative
bodies elected by
definite
term people.

Signs:
1. At the head of the Monarch.
2. Power is inherited.
3.Not responsible for their actions.
4. There is no separation of powers.
5. Solely represents his state.
6. Uses the Title.
7. Receives a significant allowance from the treasury.

The monarch enjoys all
full power, independent of other authorities
authorities.
The monarch rules by, or
with the obligatory assistance of the bodies or authorities of the existing
regardless of the monarch.

-The unity of the legislative
Head of State - Head of Praia Executive
a government appointed with
(appointed and supervised by the consent of Parliament, may
etsya parliament.
dissolve.
-With the loss of parliamentary
The President is the symbol of the nation.
majority government
resigns.
Flaws:
Flaws:
- government instability, - conflicts between branches
authorities.
- threat of tyranny of the majority

Complete political unity.
The constituent parts of the state
have their own legislation, have equal
rights
Union of a number of states. They retain the highest authorities,
its legislation, tax system etc.
State-legal associations of sovereign states.
They have their own constitutions, the budget independently act
in the international arena.

POLITICAL REGIME
A set of ways, forms and methods
exercise of political power

10.

Complete the task
Write out from the text the features of a totalitarian political regime
Totalitarian regime means complete state control over
the whole life of society and over the life of every person. For him
characterized by the official state ideology,
obligatory for all citizens and not allowing the existence
other ideologies. The only mass political party
has a monopoly on power. The party leader is endowed
supernatural features, a cult of personality of the leader is created.
Power structures carry out total police
control over the whole society. ruling party controls
funds mass media, enforces strict censorship.
The economy is usually centralized. Here is how it describes
distinctive features of the totalitarian regime I.A. Ilyin
“Ordinary legal consciousness proceeds from the premise that all
unforbidden is allowed. The totalitarian regime inspires quite
otherwise: everything not prescribed is prohibited. ordinary state
says: you have a sphere of private interest, you are free in it.
The totalitarian state declares: there is only a state
interest and you are bound by it.”

11.

TOTALITAR POLITICAL REGIME
1. Official state ideology, mandatory for
all citizens and not allowing the existence of others
ideologies.
2. The only mass political party has
monopoly on power.
3. The cult of the personality of the leader
4. Total police control over the entire society.
5. The ruling party controls the media
information, carries out strict censorship.
6. The economy is centralized.

12.

Complete the task
Write out the features of an authoritarian political regime from the text
An authoritarian political regime is characteristic of
political system, in which power has signs
dictatorship of one person or group of persons (oligarchic group, military junta, etc.). This power is beyond the control of citizens. She can rule with
laws that he makes at his own discretion.
The main thing is the reliance on strength. However, as a rule,
an authoritarian regime does not resort to terror. The most important
feature of an authoritarian regime is the monopolization of politics
in the absence of total control over society. it
means that political opposition is not allowed,
however, the economy, culture, religion can develop without
state intervention. Thus, it is kept
a certain freedom of activity in various fields,
but politics is the exclusive function of power.

13.

AUTHORITARY POLITICAL REGIME
1. Dictatorships of one person or group of people
(oligarchic group, military junta, etc.).
2. Power is not controlled by citizens.
3. Relies on force, but does not resort to terror.
4.Monopolization policy in the absence
total control over society.
5. A certain freedom of activity is preserved in
various fields

14.

Complete the task
Write out the features of a democratic political regime from the text
The democratic political regime is based on a system of principles
and values, among which the principle
democracy. Democracy is realized primarily through the principle
the majority. This means that there are mechanisms for revealing the will
majority, chief among them are elections and referendums. However
a political regime is not democratic if, along with
the majority principle does not implement another principle: the right
minorities to the opposition. This means that the part of society
which does not support the authorities, can create their own organizations,
have their own press, criticize the policy of the authorities, offer
Alternative option political course. The people have the right and
the opportunity to influence the development of political decisions through participation
in election campaigns, appeals to state bodies,
participation in rallies, demonstrations, pickets. Another essential
The hallmark of democracy is parliamentarism. This means state
power in which the people play an important role
representation (parliament). Democracy is characterized
political pluralism, which implies diversity and
free competition in the struggle for power of political ideas,
views, programs, political organizations, mass media.

15.

DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL REGIME
1. Power of the people, which is realized through the principle
the majority.
2. The right of the minority to opposition.
3.Parliamentarism.
4. Political pluralism
5. Glasnost
6. The predominance in the minds of the majority of citizens of democratic
values
7. The presence of the rule of law

16.

Concepts:
A) conservative parties
B) leftist parties
B) opposition parties
d) right-wing parties
D) reactionary parties
f) revolutionary parties
G) reformist parties
h) centrist parties
Depending on the degree of participation in the implementation of political
party authorities are divided into ruling and ... (1). By the nature of the goals and
relation to the existing socio-political system
parties are divided into several types. The parties that support
radical and violent transformation of the existing
social system are called ...... (2). For gradual change
existing orders are .... (3). Parties in favor of
preservation of the foundations of the former system or for such transformations,
that adapt the system to changing realities without
special shocks are called ... (4). Parties in favor of
restoration of old, obsolete social structures
are called ... (5). Communist, socialist, social democratic and other parties that advocate the interests
workers, the socialization of production, the creation of the foundations
socialist society are called ... (6). Parties that uphold the inviolability of private property, the foundations
bourgeois order, a strong state power are called ...
(7). Parties trying to reconcile extreme interests in politics are …..(8) parties.

Huntington S. P. Will More Countries Become Democratic?// Political Science Quart. 1984 Vol. 99. No. 2. P. 213.

The central institution of the political system is the state. The main content of politics is concentrated in its activity. The term "state" itself is usually used in two senses. AT broad sense the state is understood as a community of people represented and organized by a higher authority and living in a certain territory. It is identical with the country and the politically organized people. In this sense, they speak, for example, of the Russian, American, German state, meaning the entire society they represent.

Until about the 17th century. the state was usually interpreted broadly and was not separated from society. Many specific terms were used to designate the state: “polity”, “principality”, “kingdom”, “empire”, “republic”, “despotism”, “rule”, etc. Machiavelli was one of the first to depart from the tradition of the broad meaning of the state. He introduced the special term "stati" to denote any supreme power over a person, whether it be a monarchy or a republic, and began to study the real organization of the state.

A clear distinction between the state and society was substantiated in the contractual (contractual) theories of the state by Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and other representatives of liberalism. In them, these concepts are separated not only in content, but also historically, since it is argued that individuals who originally existed in a free and unorganized state, as a result of economic and other interaction, first formed a society, and then, in order to protect their security and natural rights, they created a special body by contract - state. AT modern science the state in the narrow sense is understood as an organization, a system of institutions that have supreme power in a certain territory. It exists along with other political organizations: parties, trade unions, etc.

General signs of the state

The states of different historical epochs and peoples bear little resemblance to each other. And yet they have some features that are more or less inherent in each of them, although in modern states subject to integration processes, they are sometimes quite blurred. Common to the state are the following features:

1. Separation of public authority from society, its mismatch with the organization of the entire population, the emergence of a layer of professional managers. This feature distinguishes the state from a tribal organization based on the principles of self-government.

2. The territory delineating the boundaries of the state. The laws and powers of the state apply to people living in a certain territory. It itself is built not on consanguineous or religious grounds, but on the basis of the territorial and, usually, ethnic community of people.

3. Sovereignty, i.e. supreme power in a certain area. In any modern society there are many authorities: family, industrial, party, etc. But the state has the highest power, the decisions of which are binding on all citizens, organizations and institutions. Only he has the right to issue laws and regulations binding on the entire population.

4. Monopoly on the legal use of force, physical coercion. The range of state coercion extends from the restriction of freedom to the physical destruction of a person. The ability to deprive citizens of the highest values, which are life and freedom, determines the special effectiveness of state power. To perform the functions of coercion, the state has special means(weapons, prisons, etc.), as well as bodies - the army, police, security services, courts, prosecutors.

5. The right to collect taxes and fees from the population. Taxes are necessary for the maintenance of numerous employees and for the material support of state policy: defense, economic, social, etc.

6. Mandatory membership in the state. In contrast, for example, to such a political organization as a party, membership in which is voluntary and not mandatory for the population, a person receives state citizenship from the moment of birth.

7. Claim to represent society as a whole and protect the common interest and common good. No other organization, except perhaps the totalitarian party-states, claims to represent and protect all citizens and does not have the necessary means for this.

Definition common features state has not only scientific, but also practical political significance especially for international law. State - subject international relations. Only on the basis of possessing the qualities of the state, certain organizations are recognized as subjects of international law and endowed with appropriate rights and obligations. In modern international law three minimum features of the state are distinguished: territory, people united by the legal union of citizens (citizenship), and sovereign power exercising effective control over at least the majority of the territory and population.

The features noted above distinguish the state from other organizations and associations, but do not yet reveal its connection with society, the factors underlying its emergence and evolution.

Reasons for the emergence of the state

The state appears as a result of the decomposition of the tribal system, the gradual isolation from the society of leaders and their entourage and the concentration of managerial functions, resources of power and social privileges under the influence of a number of factors, the most important of which are:

The development of the social division of labor, the allocation of managerial labor in order to increase its efficiency in a special industry and the formation of this special body - the state;

Emergence in the course of development of production of private property, classes and exploitation (Marxism). Without denying the influence of these factors, most modern scholars still do not link the existence of the state directly with the emergence of private property and classes. In some countries, his education historically preceded and contributed to the class stratification of society. In the course of historical development, as class antagonisms are erased and society is democratized, the state becomes more and more a supra-class, national organization;

The conquest of some peoples by others (F. Oppenheimer, L. Gumplovich and others). The influence of the conquests on the education and development of the state is undoubted. However, it should not be absolutized, losing sight of other, often more important factors;

Demographic factors, changes in the reproduction of the human race itself. This refers primarily to the growth in the number and density of the population, the transition of peoples from a nomadic to a settled way of life, as well as the prohibition of incest and the regulation of marriage relations between clans. All this increased the need for communities to regulate the relationships of ethnically close people;

Psychological (rational and emotional) factors. Some authors (Hobbes) consider fear of aggression from other people, fear for life and property as the strongest motive that prompts a person to create a state. Others (Locke) put in the forefront the mind of people, which led them to an agreement on the creation of a special body - the state, which is better able to ensure the rights of people than traditional forms of community life.

1. concept, signs, theories of the emergence of state-va.

2. functions of the state.

3. forms of government.

4. form of territorial structure.

QUESTION 1. CONCEPT, SIGNS, THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE

The essence of the state

The state is the main institution of the political system of society, organizing, directing and controlling the joint activities and relations of people, social groups, classes and associations. The state is the central institution of power in society and the concentrated implementation of policy by this power. AT broad sense the state is understood as a community of people represented and organized by a higher authority and living in a certain territory.

From the point of view of modern ideas, the state should act as a power system that organizes society in the interests of man. And, like any system, the state must be integral: both in terms of power and organization, and in territorial terms. The state is a "shell" that preserves the integrity of a particular social community.

The term "state" began to be used in political science from about the second half of the 16th century. Until that time, such concepts as "polis", "principality", "kingdom", "kingdom", "republic", "empire", etc. were used to designate the state. One of the first to introduce the term "state" into scientific circulation was N. Machiavelli. He interpreted it broadly as any supreme power over a person.

In modern science, the state in narrow sense is understood as an organization, a system of institutions that have supreme power in a certain territory, is often identified with a certain ethnic group, with the administrative and managerial apparatus, with justice.

State signs

Most contemporary authors believe that state It is an organization of public power that has sovereignty, operates in a certain territory and subjugates the entire population living in this territory.

Main structural elements states are organs of legislative, executive and judicial power, protection public order and state security, the armed forces and partly the media. From the definition it is clear that the state as a subject of international law must have at least sovereignty, territory and population.

Also, the features of the state are:

1. Coercion. No one can arbitrarily make decisions about their existence outside the state, about non-subordination to state power. Belonging to the state is socially necessary, forced (“The motherland is not chosen”) and is regulated by state and international law.

From the point of view of the latter, apatritism (statelessness) is regarded as an undesirable and abnormal phenomenon. It should be borne in mind that an arbitrary decision by the state authorities to deprive a person of citizenship is also a violation of international law, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN in 1948.

2. The right to use violence - legitimate violence. Considered by many as key feature states. M. Weber wrote about this: “The state is that human community that within a certain area claims a monopoly of legitimate physical violence.”

It should be borne in mind that the goal of legitimate violence on the part of the state is to ensure order, to protect society and citizens from arbitrary actions of individuals (groups) that harm society and citizens.

The legitimization of violence is ensured by the fact that it can only be used:

central government;

those to whom such a right has been given;

strictly within the law;

to establish and maintain order in society.

3. Sovereignty(supreme power). Sovereignty is the independence and autonomy of the state in its internal affairs and in the conduct of foreign policy.

Thus, the concept of state sovereignty has an external and internal dimension.

From the point of view of the external dimension, sovereignty means non-interference in the affairs of the state of all other states, respect for its independence, preservation of integrity.

From the point of view of the internal dimension, sovereignty means that the state has the highest power in relation to internal subjects and is best specified by the next sign of the state - universality.

4. Universality. The state covers with its influence the people who are on its territory, including citizens of other states.

In other words, citizens of other states are obliged to obey the laws of the state in whose territory they are located.

5. Right. It is an obligatory attribute of the state. Any state operates within the established legal order. Law gives legitimation to all actions of the state, including the use of violence. The system of law determines the order and technique of the state, the procedure for regulating relations and the coexistence of citizens, organizations, institutions, etc.

The number 1 legal document in the state is the constitution, which is not accidentally called the fundamental law of the state.

The constitution defines:

basic principles of state activity;

the structure of the state;

organization of authorities and their powers;

the nature of the relationship between the state and society, the state and the individual.

AT Russian Federation the Constitution adopted on December 12, 1993 as a result of universal suffrage is in force.

6. Public authority. Each state has an extensive system of organs and institutions of state power. The main ones include:

representative-legislative;

executive management;

judicial;

state control and prosecutor's office;

bureaucracy (administration).

The bureaucracy, understood in this case as a special layer of people specializing in government, is an obligatory phenomenon in the state. The task of society is to find ways to control the activities of the bureaucracy, to prevent it from turning into a closed caste, living at the expense of society and neglecting its obligations to the state.

7. Territory. Each state is “tied” to a certain territory, separated by borders from the territory of other states. In addition, within the internal borders of the state has a certain administrative-territorial structure.

8. The people inhabiting the territory of a given state. A historically established national or multinational community of people to which the right and political power states.

9. Taxes. Mandatory attribute of any state. Only it has the right to establish and collect taxes. Through taxes, sovereignty (the highest power) and the universality of the state are demonstrated. This is a strong way to control citizens and an indicator of the influence of the state. Taxes are used by the state:

to perform their functions, social in the first place.

10. Monetary unit. Each state has its own currency. Only it has the right to issue (release) money. This enables the state to control the economic system of society.

11. State symbols. The most important symbols of the state include the state emblem, flag, anthem. The coat of arms and the flag are the official distinctive signs of the state, the description of which is established by law. They are a symbol of the sovereignty of the state. The state emblem is depicted on flags, seals and coins. The national flag is a one-color or multi-color panel with a coat of arms or other emblems, signs. The national anthem is a solemn song (motive) glorifying a given state.

1. The concept of the state and its nature.

1.1. Factors that determine the emergence of the state.

1.2. State signs.

1.3. State functions.

2. Forms of government and territorial structure of the state.

2.1. Forms of government. Monarchies. Republic.

2.2. State-territorial structure. unitary state. federal state. Confederation.

1. The central institution of the political system is the state, since the main content of politics is concentrated in its activities. The term "state" is used in two senses. In a broad sense, the state is a country, society, people located on a certain territory and represented by a supreme authority. Niccolo Machiavelli introduced the special term "stato" into literary circulation to designate the state, regardless of its specific forms as a special political organization of society. In the narrow own meaning the term "state" is an organization that has supreme power in a certain territory.

1.1. The state appears as a result of the decomposition of the tribal system, the gradual isolation from society of the layer of leaders and their entourage, and the concentration of managerial functions and social privileges in them under the influence of a number of the following factors:

1) the development of the social division of labor, the allocation of managerial labor in order to increase its efficiency in a special branch;

2) emergence of private property, classes and exploitation (Marxist approach);

3) the conquest of some peoples by others (F. Oppenheimer, L. Gumplovich);

4) demographic factors (growth in numbers, population density, the transition of peoples from a nomadic to a settled way of life, a ban on incest);

5) psychological factors (the state is considered as a fruit of the human mind, ripened under the influence of certain needs and emotions);

6) anthropological factors ( state form organization is rooted in the very social nature of man);

7) geographical factors (natural boundaries, landscape, waterways);

8) environmental factors (climatic conditions, soil fertility);

9) external factors(threat of attack, war, experience of other countries).

Numerous studies of the state have shown that it arises and develops under the influence of a number of factors, among which it is hardly possible to single out any one as decisive.

1.2. The main features of the state:

separation of public authorities from society and the allocation of a layer of professional managers;

sovereignty, that is, the supreme power in a certain territory. supreme authority, whose decisions are binding on all, only the state has;

The territory that is delineated by the boundaries of the state. The laws and powers of the state apply to all people living in a given territory;

monopoly on the legal use of force and physical coercion. The range of state coercion - from the restriction of freedom to the physical destruction of a person (since 1999 in Ukraine the death penalty prohibited);

the exclusive right to publish laws and regulations binding on the entire population;

The right to collect taxes and fees from the population.

The above features of the state distinguish it from other organizations and numerous associations.

1.3. State functions. Most general classification functions of the state is their division into internal and external.

Internal:

· consolidation of society on the basis of common interests of citizens;

Adoption, improvement, implementation of mandatory laws for all;

the necessary regulation of the economy and economic activity society;

protection and strengthening of the existing political system;

Ensuring general order, public safety, maintaining the discipline of citizens;

regulation social relations, ensuring social security of citizens;

spiritual and ideological, educational activities, the formation political consciousness citizens.

protection of state interests in the international arena, ensuring the defense of the country;

· development of mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries and international organizations;

participation in the decision global problems humanity, in integration processes and peacekeeping actions.

2. The structure of the state is characterized by its forms. They embody the organization of the supreme power, the structure and order of relations between the highest state bodies, officials, and citizens.

In the forms of the state, forms of government and forms of territorial structure are traditionally distinguished.

2.1. Forms of government.

According to the method of organizing power and its source, states are divided into monarchies and republics.

Monarchy. The source of power is one person. The head of state receives his post by inheritance, regardless of voters and representative bodies of power. There are several types of monarchical form of government:

1) absolute monarchy- omnipotence of the head of state ( Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman);

2) constitutional monarchy - the powers of the monarch are limited by the constitution and parliament. 2 varieties:

dualistic monarchy, in which the monarch is endowed with predominantly executive power and only partially legislative power (Jordan, Morocco);

a parliamentary monarchy, in which the monarch, although considered the head of state, actually has representative functions and only partially executive power.

The vast majority of modern democratic monarchies are parliamentary monarchies. The government in them is formed by a parliamentary majority and is accountable to parliament, not to the monarch. For example, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, etc. Modern parliamentary monarchies, paying tribute to political tradition and thereby maintaining the respect of citizens for the state, actually differ little from republics - the second main form of government.

Republic. The source of power is the popular majority, the highest bodies of the state are elected by citizens. AT modern world There are 3 main types of republics: parliamentary, presidential and mixed.

The main distinguishing feature parliamentary republic is the formation of a government on a parliamentary basis and the responsibility of the government to parliament. Parliament performs a number of functions in relation to the government: it forms the government, issues laws, votes (approves) the state budget, exercises control over the government. If necessary, the parliament may express a vote of no confidence in the government. Although the head of government (prime minister or chancellor) is not officially the head of state, in reality he is the first person in the political hierarchy of the country. The president actually occupies a more modest place in this hierarchy.

chief hallmark presidential republic is that the president simultaneously acts as both the head of state and the head of government, manages the internal and foreign policy and is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (USA). The President is elected by the people. He himself appoints members of the Cabinet of Ministers, who are responsible to him, and not to Parliament. In a presidential republic, the government is stable, there is a strict separation of powers, the parliament cannot pass a vote of no confidence in the government, and the president does not have the right to dissolve the parliament. It is possible to impeach the president, but this procedure is much more difficult.

mixed republic seeks to combine strong presidential power with effective parliamentary control over the activities of the government. Her main feature- dual responsibility of the government to the president and to the parliament (France, Austria, Ukraine). The President and Parliament are elected independently of each other. Parliament cannot remove the president, who, in turn, has the right to dissolve parliament, but with prerequisite announcement of the date of early parliamentary elections. The president has the right of suspensive veto on parliamentary decisions. The head of state presides over government meetings, approves its decisions and thereby controls its activities (France).

2.2. under the form state structure refers to the territorial and political organization of the state, including the political and legal status of its constituent parts and principles of relations between central and regional authorities.

The territorial organization of the state characterizes the relationship of the whole and parts, central and regional authorities. There are two main forms of the territorial structure of the state: unitary and federal.

unitary the form of territorial structure is a single politically homogeneous organization, consisting of administrative-territorial units that do not have their own statehood. A unitary state has a single constitution and citizenship. All state, including the judiciary, constitute one system and operate on the basis of uniform legal norms (France, Hungary, Italy, Ukraine). Depending on the political regime, a unitary state can be centralized, decentralized, and relatively decentralized.

Federal state - a union state, consisting of relatively independent entities, equal subjects of the federation, having their own constitutions (union republics, states, cantons, lands, etc.). It is built on the basis of the distribution of functions between its subjects and the center, fixed in the federal constitution, which can be changed with the consent of all subjects of the federation. The federation is characterized by the presence of dual citizenship and, as a rule, a bicameral parliament, one of the chambers of which represents the interests of the subjects of the federation, and the other - the national interests.

A special type of association of states is a confederation. Confederation- this is an alliance of independent states created for the implementation of specific goals (for example, for joint defense, solving economic, transport, energy and other problems). Members-participants may voluntarily withdraw from the confederation, terminating the confederal treaty. This is a rare form of organizing a political community (for example, the European Union, the CIS).

Questions and tasks to the topic:

1. What are the essential differences between the state and other political institutions: political parties, movements, etc.?

2. Expand the content of the concept of "sovereignty".

3. What functions are called upon to perform the state?

4. What is meant by the structure of the state?

5. How does a federation differ from a unitary state?

6. What was the USSR - a federation or a unitary state? Justify your answer.