Lessons 4 · 1 lessons · O. Karimova, N. Ismatova, Sh. Sariqov, O. Amanova (methodological editor E. Sariqov). O‘zbekiston davlati va huquqi asoslari (Foundations of the state and law of Uzbekistan), Grade 8. Huquq va Jamiyat publishers, Tashkent, 2019
4
The state
Textbook: pp. 20–24
GoalExplain the concept, origin and main features of the state and distinguish the state from society.
New words
state · davlatpower, authority · hokimiyattax · soliqbudget · budjet
Explanation
A state is a political organisation that governs people living in a certain territory on the basis of laws, has the power to compel, and is independent of other states. Its features are: a defined territory; an apparatus of governance (state bodies); the issuing of laws and other binding rules; collecting taxes and having its own budget; and sovereignty. Society and state are not the same: society is the broad unity of people, while the state is the political institution that governs society, so it appeared at a certain stage of society’s development. The first states in the world formed in the Ancient East in the 4th–3rd millennium BC; on the territory of today’s Uzbekistan the first state formations arose in the 1st millennium BC, including ancient Khorezm and Bactria. A modern state should act in the interests of the people.
Worked examples
Tax is a feature of the state: for example, taxes paid by an entrepreneur go to the budget, and from the budget funds are allocated for schools, hospitals, roads and pensions.
The territory feature: a state’s laws apply to everyone on its territory. School rules apply only within the school – so a school is not a state.
Class activity
“Table of state features”: the class draws a table of five features (territory, apparatus, law, tax and budget, sovereignty) and writes one example from our country for each.
Practice
1
List the five features of a state.
Territory, governing apparatus, laws, taxes and budget, sovereignty.
2
How does the state differ from society?
Society is the broad unity of people; the state is the political institution governing it, with authority and the power to compel.
3
Why can a school or a club not be called a state?
They have no sovereignty, no tax system of their own, no generally binding laws and no authority over a whole territory.
4
What does the principle “state bodies exist to serve citizens” mean in practice?
Officials should serve to solve citizens’ problems rather than make life hard for them; the state exists for the people’s interest.