What the Word "State" Means.

We live in a country called the United States of America. Every school child knows how our country came about; there were these 13 colonies that were being mistreated by the British government. So they banded together, made a knew government and rebelled against the British. These 13 colonies called themselves "free and independent states." So what did they mean when they changed from "colonies" to "states?"

One view of it is that the states are administrative divisions of the nation. In France, for example, there are administrative divisions that help the government govern. Is this what is meant by "state?"

It doesn't appear so. When we look at other uses of the word "state" it takes on a very different meaning than "administrative division."

For example, our national government has a "State Department" that is led by the Secretary of State. Does the State Department deal with the individual states? Does he, for example, visit Alabama or Hawaii or Texas to work out deals with the national government? No. In fact, the Secretary of State represents the national government in dealing with foreign governments. So why is he called the Secretary of State?

It is because the "state" he represents is the United States of America. In other words, the state of the United States of America.

Here is another example: the official name for Israel is "The State of Israel."  Why is that? Is Israel an administrative division of another country? No.

It is because of this startling fact: the word "state" means "nation." 

That's right: a state is merely a nation.

So what does it mean that we are the United States of America? That there are 50 separate nations? No, there are 50 united nations who have entered into a contract where they agree to have an overarching government that unifies all 50 nations into one. 

This, by the way, is what is meant by the "federal" government. A federal government exists where  the power to govern is shared between national and provincial/state governments. 

In our modern republic, this concept has sadly been mostly lost. Alexander Hamilton stated that "If their [the peoples'] rights are invaded by either [the state government or the national government], they can make use of the other as the instrument of redress." But since we have come to believe that states are mere administrative divisions of the national government, states have lost the ability to provide a check on the growth of national power. Unfortunately, we now live in a republic that appears to be run more by corporations, banks, labor unions and special interest groups than by the people. This is due, in part, in my opinion, on the fact that states can no longer serve as "free and independent" nations to balance out the power of the government in Washington DC.