Which one of the following best defines the term 'State'?
A
A community of persons permanently occupying a definite territory independent of external control and possessing an organized government
Correct Answer
B
A politically organized people of a definite territory and possessing an authority to govern them, maintain law and order, protect their natural rights and safeguard their means of sustenance
C
A number of persons who have been living in a definite territory for a very long time with their own culture, tradition and government
D
A society permanently living in a definite territory with a central authority, an executive responsible to the central authority and an independent judiciary
Explanation
Option (a) is correct because it encompasses the four essential elements of a State as defined in political science: population, territory, government, and sovereignty (independence from external control). Option (b) is the most tempting wrong choice as it describes the functions of a modern state, but it is technically incomplete because it fails to explicitly mention sovereignty, which is the defining legal characteristic of a State. This question tests the core concept of the "Four Elements of the State" required for international and legal recognition.
Political TheoryDefinition of StateStateTerritoryGovernmentSovereigntyPopulation