When characterizing any state, attention is always paid to what land areas are included in it, the number and density of the population, the forms of organizational government, the nature of the political regime, and the level of economic development. The state is stronger, the more stable is its economy, the closer is the interaction between the government and the people, the higher is the country's defense and the scientific and technical base placed at the service of the economy.
Definition
The concept of the state form includes many of its features, which reflect both the very order of formation and organization of state bodies, the territorial composition of the state, and those methods, techniques by which state power is exercised. In other words, this is the political power that is the main one in the country at the moment, the political regime that it has established. Therefore, the political life of society, as well as the performance of public authorities, depends on the form of government.
You can notice that the concept and elements of the form of the state are associated with such seemingly insignificant factors as the climatic conditions of the country, national, historical, religious identity, the level of social culture, etc. For example, the presence of large territories and the variegated national composition of the population living on them, have become prerequisites for a federal form of government in modern Russia, which is called: the Russian Federation. Or America, where there are also vast land territories and great administrative independence, has become the United States.
Structure
To make the concept of state form clearer, we need to analyze the elements of its structure in more depth:
- first of all, a form of government. By it is understood the organization and work of the highest bodies of the state, their structure, scope of activities and powers, methods of communication and work with the population and among themselves. The main forms include monarchist and republican. Under the monarchist, all state control is concentrated in the hands of one person - the monarch, and this form of power is inherited ("The king is dead - long live the king!"). In turn, the monarchy is absolute, i.e. unlimited, uncontrolled, and limited, constitutional. Under the republican form of government, power in the state is exercised by a body elected by the people, and it rules on behalf of the people. This can be the power of the president, parliament or presidential-parliamentary, as well as parliamentary-presidential, i.e. mixed;
- state system - a territorial and political organization of power in the country. It determines the nature of the relationship between the center and local authorities. Here they distinguish between unitary forms, confederation, federation;
- the so-called political regime is included in the concept of the form of the state, i.e. state legal methods, methods and means of manifestation of power. This is an authoritarian regime, close to it totalitarian and the opposite - democratic.
Consequently, the form of the state, the concept and its elements are the unity of three main factors: structure, territories, political structure.
Summary
Land territories, density, number and composition of the population, state power - all these parameters are common to any country. That individual that defines the very face of the state, its essence, is expressed by the phrase “form of state”.
The concept of state form, therefore, is:
- the order in which state authorities are formed;
- the structure of these organs;
- the peculiarity of the territorial isolation of the population;
- relations between different government bodies;
- shades of relations between government and citizens;
- exercise of political power.