In this article, we have discussed the definition and concept of state and its four elements: population, territory, government and sovereignty.

The concept of the state is comparatively modern and owes its origin to Machiavelli, who expressed this idea as the power that has authority over men. 

Thinkers like Aristotle, Cicero, Bodin, Holland, Burgess, Bluntschli, Phillimore and Woodrow, etc. have defined state. However, the definition given by Garner and Gilchrist seems to be complete and satisfactory.

According to Dr. Garner, “State as a concept of political science and public law, is a community of persons more or less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent or nearly so, of external control and possessing an organised government to which the great body of inhabitants render habitual obedience”.           

Professor Gilchrist writes, “The state is a concept of political science and a moral reality which exists where a number of people living on a definite territory, are unified under a government which in internal matters is the organ for expressing their sovereignty and in external matters is independent of other governments.”                                                                                                                                                               

The essential elements of a modern state are population, territory, government and sovereignty.

Population

• Population is the most important element of the State, there can be no state without population.
• State cannot exist with animals. Population is one of the factors which determines the strength of a State. 
• When considering a state’s population, we have to study not only the number but also the quality of the people inhabiting the state. 

Territory

• The territory of the state encompasses not just land, but also its rivers, lakes, and the sea extending to the boundaries of its territorial waters, along with the airspace above.
•  The state’s domain is firmly established across terrestrial, fluvial, maritime, and aerial domains.

Government 

• Government serves as the organisation or framework responsible for establishing policies, managing public affairs, and advancing the interests of the community.
• It acts as the entity through which the authority of the state is manifested. 
• While the state itself can be seen as an abstract idea, the government represents its tangible expression in practice.

Sovereignty

• Without sovereignty, a state lacks legal standing.
•  In the absence of sovereignty, the potential for lawlessness to undermine society as a whole becomes significant. 
• Only the sovereign has the authority to maintain order among the various segments of society. 
• It serves as the ultimate authority within the state. 
• Sovereignty is what sets the state apart from other organisations.