Forms and Functions of State and Non-state Institutions
State
At the time of the initial development of the modern human rights system,
States were the dominant actors in the international arena.
A state is an organized political community acting under a government united
by a common set of laws. It uses absolute power in directing the path of a
society. It also uses complete political coerciveness, which may come in the
form of armed forces personnel, stricter laws, and rigid government policies to
attain its societal goals and objectives.
Market exchange is the primary form of economic subsistence of a state wherein
standardized currencies are being used to exchange commodities. 1
States differ in sovereignty, governance, geography, and interests. It may be
classified as sovereign if they are not dependent on, or subject to, any other
power or state. Other states are subject to external sovereignty where ultimate
sovereignty lies in another state.
The concept of the state is different from the concept of government. A
government is a particular group of people that controls the state at a given
time. In other words, governments are the means through which the state power
is employed like applying the rule of law.
The concept of the state is also different from the concept of a nation, which
refers to a large geographical area and the people therein who perceive
themselves as having a common identity. The state is a political geopolitical
entity; the nation is a cultural or ethnic entity.
As a state, it consists of actors with varying interests and assertions, social rules
are implemented in the forms of laws. These laws are created to manage the
interaction among individuals and between the individuals and the state. As a
citizen of a country, an individual is subjected to the legal norms in the
territory. These norms may include paying taxes, rendering military services,
and contributing to the political life in the society.
The State intends to be a strong actor in the performance of the three
important political functions:
1. maintains control over violence in its domain
2. allocates resources and rewards at its discretion, and
3. stands as the major focus of identity for the large majority of the people.
Elements of the States
1. Population
It is the people who make the state. The population is essential for the state.
Without population, there can be no State.
2. Territory
There can be no state without a fixed territory. People need territory to live and
organize themselves socially and politically. It may be remembered that the territory of
the states includes land, water, and airspace.
3. Government
It is the organization or machinery or agency of the State which makes, implements,
enforces, and adjudicates the laws of the state.
4. Sovereignty
It is the most exclusive element of the State. Without sovereignty, no state can exist.
The state has the exclusive title and prerogative to exercise supreme power over all its
people and territory. It is the basis on which the State regulates all aspects of the life
of the people living in its territory.
Forms of States
States come in a variety of forms that vary on who holds power, how positions of
leadership are obtained, and how authority is maintained. These are:
a. Authoritarian Government
Authoritarian governments differ in who holds power and in how control they assume
over those who govern. An example of this type is Monarchy.
Monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely lodged with an
individual, who is the head of the state, often for life or until abdication. The person
who heads a monarchy is called a monarch. Some monarchs hold unlimited political
powers while many constitutional monarchies, such as the United Kingdom and
Thailand. Currently, 44 nations in the world have monarchs as heads of state.
Totalitarianism is a political system that strives to regulate nearly every aspect of public
and private life. It theoretically permits no individual freedom and seeks to
subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state. Modern examples
of totalitarian states include the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, Nazi Germany
under Adolf Hitler, the People’s Republic of China under Mao Zedong, and North Korea
under the Kim Dynasty.
b. Oligarchic Government
An oligarchy is a form of government in which power effectively rests with a small elite
segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, family, military, or religious
hegemony (leadership). An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several
powerful people who rule. One common example is
theocracy.
Theocracy is a government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as
divinely guided. Leaders are members of the clergy, and the state’s legal system is
based on religious law. Contemporary examples of theocracies include Saudi Arabia,
Iran, and the Vatican.
Democratic Government
Democracy is a form of government in which the right to govern is held by the majority
of citizens within a country or a state. The two principles of democracy are that all
citizens have equal access to
power and that all citizens enjoy universally recognized freedoms and liberties. People
can either become country leaders through the electoral process or elect leaders who
represent the core values and beliefs. There are 99 democratic nations globally.
Examples of democratic nations are the Philippines, Norway, New Zealand, the United
States of America, Canada, Columbia, Italy, and South Africa.
Roles of the States
1. State provides security against external aggressions and war. For this
purpose, the state maintains an army.
2. State ensures security against internal disturbances disorders and crimes.
For this purpose, the state maintains the police.
3. State legally grants and guarantees the rights of the people.
4. The state issues and regulates currency and coinage.
5. State undertakes steps for the creation of necessary conditions for the
socio-economic-politico-cultural development of the people.
6. State grants citizenship and protects their interests and rights.
7. State conducts foreign relations, foreign trade, and economic relations.
8. State secures the goals of national interest in international relations
Nonstate Institutions
Nonstate institutions are people and/ or organizations that participate in international
affairs and relations but are not affiliated with any state or nation. These nonstate
institutions include the following: banks and corporations, cooperatives and trade
unions, transnational advocacy groups, and development agencies and international
organizations. These nonstate institutions are equally
capable of influencing policy formation and implementation.
a. Banks
The bank is a financial institution licensed to provide several financial services to
different types of customers. Banks are in operation mainly for their deposits and
lending functions. Customers are allowed to deposit their money in banks which grow
through an interest rate. Banks also provide
loans, with an interest to customers who need money either for personal consumption
or for investment and businesses. Banks may be categorized into major forms such as
commercial banks and investment banks.
Table 1. Major forms of banks and their description
Forms of Bank Description
Commercial Banks Financial deposit with security and
convenience
which could be in the form of credit cards, debit
cards, and check
Provide business, individual, and personal
loans, enabling commercial banks to earn
interest
Serve as payment agents within and
outside the
country through wire transfer
Subjected to more regulations
Investment Banks Financial intermediaries that perform a
variety
of services for businesses and some government
Issues securities to the investing public
Make markets, facilities, mergers, and
other
corporate reorganizations
Acts as brokers for institutional clients
Under the supervision of regulatory bodies
such
as the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) Philippies, FINRA, and the US Treasury
Subjected to fewer regulations
Source: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/061615/what-are-majorcategories-
financial-institutions-and-what-are-their-primary-roles.asp
The two most well-known financial institutions that are actively shaping the
socioeconomic development of the Philippines are the World Bank and the Asian
Development Bank. They have been providing financial aid to the Philippine
government and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to facilitate their
development objectives.
b. Corporations
It is a form of business operation that declares the business as a separate entity
guided by a group of officers known as the Board of Directors. They were created by
individuals, stockholders, or shareholders, with the purpose of operating for profit.
They have all the legal rights of an individual, except for the right to vote and certain
limitations. They are given the right to exist by the state that issues their charter.
Corporation example includes General Motors Corporation an icon of American
craftsmanship, Apple Corporation as one of the famous tech companies, Amazon
Corporation founded by Jeff Bezos is the world’s leading eCommerce and innovation
company, Domino’s Pizza is a global food chain company delivering quality food
worldwide.
Common Types of Corporations
A corporation can be created by a single shareholder or by multiple shareholders who
come together to pursue common goal. A corporate can be formed as a for-profit or a
non-for-profit entity.
For-profit entities form most corporations, and they are formed to generate revenues and
provide a return to their shareholders, according to their percentage of ownership in
the corporation. Examples: HBO in partnership with International Rescue Committee,
Ford Motors and Lynda.com.
Not-for-profit entities operate under the category of charitable organizations, which are
dedicated to a particular social cause such as educational, religious, scientific, or
research purposes.
Rather than distribute revenues to shareholders, not-for-profit organizations use their
revenues to further their objectives.
Human Rights Campaign is a very impressive example of using Facebook
profile photos to spread the word far and wide about the campaign. Greenpeace is an
environmental non-profit that used GPS technology to inform the public about their
cause.
Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are a business organization that extends ownership,
management, production, and sales activities into several or more countries. MNCs
are a boon (helpful) to the economic growth and development of the states.
Table 1. The Good and bad Effects of MNCs
Good Effects Bad Effects
Introduce technology Offer ill-suited technology
Encourage economic growth Retard economic growth
Encourage interdependently Cause dependency
Elites learn to regulate Elites become compradors
Promotes human rights Harms human rights
Protect the environment Hurt the environment
Economic actors Political actors
Promote a cosmopolitan world Damage national Culture
Source: Conway Henderson (1998)
Checks out the big names of MNCs that already exist in the Philippines:
Google HSBC
Viber Citibank
Palo Alto Networks Maersk
Procter and Gamble Hewlett Packard
Thomson Reuters Coca Cola Far East
Accenture Deutsche Bank
c. Cooperatives
Cooperatives are people-centers enterprises owned, controlled, and run by and for
their members to realize their common economic, social, and cultural needs and
aspirations. Cooperatives are businesses governed on the principle of one member,
one vote. There are several common types of co-ops, including cooperatives owned and
operated by:
a. The people working there (worker cooperatives)
b. The people buying the co-op’s goods or services (consumer cooperatives)
c. The people collaborating to process and market their products (producer
cooperatives); and
d. Groups uniting to enhance their purchasing power (purchasing cooperatives)
Cooperatives play a critical role in building community wealth for several key
reasons:
a. They often provide quality goods and services to areas that have been shunned by
traditional businesses because they are deemed less profitable
b. They typically invest in local communities
c. Since most cooperative members are residents, business profits remain and
circulate in the community
d. Cooperative membership builds social networks and strengthens social cohesion
(unity) which are an essential element of a strong, healthy community by connecting
diverse community residents
e. Purchasing cooperatives help small, local businesses remain competitive within
markets dominated by large, national retailers
f. Worker cooperatives create quality, empowering jobs for community members
d. Trade Unions/Labor Unions
Trade Unions are organizations formed by workers from related fields that work for the
common interest of their members. They help workers with issues like the fairness of
pay, good working environment, hours of work, and benefits. They represent a cluster
of workers and provide a link between the management and workers. The purpose of
these unions is to investigate the grievances of wagers and present a collective voice in
front of the management. It acts as the medium of communication between the
workers and management. Among these trade unions that exist in the Philippines
is the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), and the
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).
Functions of Trade Unions:
1. Advocating for fairness and equality in workers’ compensation
2. Securing better working conditions for workers
3. Trade Unions will organize strikes and demonstrations on behalf of worker demands
4. Fight for social welfare for workers
5. Promote and advocate for education and proper training for workers
6. Advocate and fight the government for legislative protections of the workers
7. Promote and advocate for organizational growth and stability
8. Trade Unions act as representatives of workers in national and international forums
9. Involved in collective bargaining agreements and disputes with management to
settle any conditions on employment
10. Advising management on correct personnel policies and procedures
11. Involved in collective and personal collective grievances between management and
workers.
e. Transnational Advocacy Groups
Transnational Advocacy Groups (TAGs) play an increasingly important role in
international and regional politics and have contributed to changing the policies of
multilateral organizations and states. They are
particularly visible in contentious areas such as human rights, environmental issues,
international peace, and women’s rights. They have specific roles to partake that can
be achieved through effective measures, case-specific methods, and activities. TAGs
serve as international catalysts for change, aiming to achieve international changes in
policies and practices. The very essence of TAGS is the formation and development of
their advocacies and campaigns that represent causes, ideas, values, and beliefs.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty are active in the human rights field. Oxfam and
Save children deal with humanitarian issues. Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth
represent environmental concerns.
f. Development Agencies
Development Agencies have been established to develop the cooperation between the
public sector, private sector, and civil society. These are organizations with specific
aims and goals. The common
denominator among these organizations is the term development. These agencies
concentrate on the growth, progression, and advancement of specific concerns, which
can be infrastructure or social institutions.
Types of Development Agencies:
International Organization is an institution with membership drawn from two or more
countries. Its activities transcend national boundaries as it facilitates cooperation
among its members in the performance of one or more tasks. The international
organization can be public or private. A public
The organization is an international government organization (IGO) with states as its
members. Prominent examples of IGOs are the United Nations, the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO),
International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Union (EU), Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), and World Health Organization (WHO). A private organization has
a membership of
individuals or groups and is an international nongovernment organization (INGO) that
originates for reasons other than politics such as International Criminal Police
Organization (Interpol). INGOs
may lobby or work regularly with the government and IGOs.
A non-government Organization is a non-profit group that functions independently of any
government. It serves social or political goals such as humanitarian and
environmental causes. Most NGOs aim to promote the practice of democracy among
societies and social change through their initiatives and
organizational methods. Many NGOs have targeted their efforts toward population
groups that tend to be underserved by governmental programs, including women, the
aged, physically, and mentally disabled persons, the poor, and various social groups
that have been marginalized by virtue of race, religion, ethnicity, caste, and social
class.
Interrelationship of Government and Non-state Institutions
Government rules society. This reflects how powerful government institutions can be.
If nonstate institutions interfere with the governing body, two possible things can
happen:
1. Integration between these two institutions may take place to achieve precise
solutions towards development
2. Conflict and tension may also arise because one could exceed the other in
terms of societal control and influences (Penninx, 2013)
UNSCRABLE ME
DIRECTIONS:
A. Find your group and form a circle.
B. In ¼ sheet of paper, write your group members, section, subject and date
C. Assigned each member of the group a specific word to unscramble.
D. Write the answer in a ½ sheet of paper.
E. Return this paper along with your answer.
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UNSCRABLE ME
DIRECTIONS:
F. Find your group and form a circle.
G. In ¼ sheet of paper, write your group members, section, subject and date
H. Assigned each member of the group a specific word to unscramble.
I. Write the answer in a ½ sheet of paper.
J. Return this paper along with your answer.
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UNSCRABLE ME
DIRECTIONS:
A. Find your group and form a circle.
B. In ¼ sheet of paper, write your group members, section, subject and date
C. Assigned each member of the group a specific word to unscramble.
D. Write the answer in a ½ sheet of paper.
E. Return this paper along with your answer.
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UNSCRABLE ME
DIRECTIONS:
A. Find your group and form a circle.
B. In ¼ sheet of paper, write your group members, section, subject and date
C. Assigned each member of the group a specific word to unscramble.
D. Write the answer in a ½ sheet of paper.
E. Return this paper along with your answer.
yeonsietvgr yolcharig roeivtapcoes tcsusnisebe
pcoiislt
lcsstsoaleuoerare c tciloglaeipo reotytrir sidtacuejad
tiiezcn
rcneoesf tlonpupioa rccresunie rcigpogeaahl
sdoicimemto
UNSCRABLE ME
DIRECTIONS:
A. Find your group and form a circle.
B. In ¼ sheet of paper, write your group members, section, subject and date
C. Assigned each member of the group a specific word to unscramble.
D. Write the answer in a ½ sheet of paper.
E. Return this paper along with your answer.
yeonsietvgr yolcharig roeivtapcoes tcsusnisebe
pcoiislt
lcsstsoaleuoerare c tciloglaeipo reotytrir sidtacuejad
tiiezcn
rcneoesf tlonpupioa rccresunie rcigpogeaahl
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