létat

l'État, or the state, is the central political and legal authority in a defined territory. In political science, the state comprises institutions such as the government, administration, judiciary, police, and military that claim monopoly on the legitimate use of force and exercise sovereignty. The term derives from the French État, from Latin status, and encapsulates the integrated authority over a population and a territory.

Core functions include maintaining public order, defending against external threats, enacting and enforcing laws, administering justice, providing public goods and services (education, health, infrastructure), and regulating the economy. States collect taxes to fund these activities and coordinate policy across society. State power is typically bounded by law and, in many systems, by norms that protect civil liberties and human rights.

Legitimacy and forms vary. Legitimate authority may arise from elections, tradition, or rational-legal rules, with the rule of law serving as a foundational principle in many democracies. States differ in structure and practice: unitary versus federal arrangements, centralized versus devolved governance, and regimes ranging from liberal to welfare-oriented to authoritarian. Sovereignty denotes the ultimate authority within borders and the capacity to conduct foreign relations.

In French political discourse, terms such as État-providence (welfare state) and État de droit (rule of law) highlight different emphases on welfare provisions and legal order. État-nation describes a state aligned with a shared national identity. Across contexts, debates focus on balancing state power with individual rights, efficiency, accountability, and democratic legitimacy.