THE GOAL AND FUNCTION OF THE STATE1

THE GOAL AND FUNCTION
OF THE STATE

Goal and Function
GOAL

FUNCTION

Targets will be reached,
determined.

Real and dynamic, in action

The idealistic condition that will
be manifested

Operationalization, how to
manifest idealistic condition

Static

Real and dynamic

Abstract

Concret

The Goal of the state
• Historical Approach
• Theoretical Approach
• Ideological Approach

Historical Approach
• Before XV Century: Idealistic,
Spiritual, State itself.
• XV – XVIII Century: Maintain Peace
and Order.
• XIX and After: Welfare State.

Theoretical Approached
• Aristotle

– For the good and happy life of the
citizen. To achieve the perfectness of
human.

• Epicurus
– Maintain order and security.

• Thomas Aquinas
– Nobility of life and after life.

Theoretical Approached
• Shang Yang
Make the state strong and powerfull.
“A weak people means a strong state and
a strong means a weak people therefore a
country, which has the right way, it
concerned with weakening the people”.

• Machiavelli
Powerfull state and force the power for the

shake of public prosperity.

Theoretical Approached
• Dante Alleghiere
The world imperium to keep peace and
happiness.

• Immanuel Kant
Make and enforce the law to protect
citizens.

Theoretical Approached
• James Wilford Garner
– Original/Primary: peace, order, secure, and
justice
– Secondary: Welfare
– Civilization: promote civilization

• Charles E. Merriam
– External Security

– Internal Order
– Justice
– Welfare

Ideological Approach
• Fascist State
For the glory of the state.

• Socialism
Greatest and equal welfare.

• Liberal – Capitalism
Maintain individual liberty.

CLASSIFICATION
GOAL (TARGETS
AND SUBSTANCE)

POWER

IDEAL

STATE IT SELF

- Shang Yang
- Fascist state

- Machiavelli
- Dante Alleghiere

STATE AS
INSTRUMENT

- Epicurus

-

Aristotle
Thomas Aquinas
Immanuel Kant

J.W. Garner
C.E. Merriam
Socialism
Liberalism

The Function of the state
• Anarchism
Less state, just to keep secure.

• Individualism – Liberal
Night watcher, not intervention, keep save
and order.

• Socialism
Broader state function for public welfare.

The Function of the state
• Liberalism
To protect individual rights, for the greatest happines of
the greatest number.

• Communism
Instrument of class struggle

• Sindicalism (Guild Socialism)
Limited state, give power to the trade/labor union.

• Fascism
Unlimited state

The Goal and Function of
the
state
Leslie Lipson
Protection

Order

Justice

Force

Power

Authority

THE FUNCTION
CLASSIFICATION
INDIVIDUALISM

COLLECTIVISM

- Anarchism

- Socialism

- Individualism Liberal

- Communism
- Fascism

- Sindicalism

Internal Function
• John Lock: legislative, executive, and
federative.
• Montesquieu: legislative, executive,
judicature.
• Van Vollenhoven: Regeling
(regulate), Bestuur (govern),
Rechtspraak (court), Politie (order
and secure).