Session 4- 'Varying Perceptions of the state.'

     This piece by Andrew Haywood seemed to be particularly fascinating because it explored the various connotations of a word which I have always dismissed as simply meaning ‘country'. This reading shows us that the word state is a pretty powerful one since it implies qualities of 'legitimisation', 'domination', 'territorialism' and 'sovereignity'. It therefore allows one to see that a great amount of authority is linked with the idea of a 'state.'  We learn that the word 'state' does not only carry heavy weightage because of its ability to establish a sense of a proper country, but that it is also fascinating in the sense that it has meant different things for different people. This can be explained by the fact that radical feminists might not view it as anything worth attention since they deem it to favour males alone and that different states focus on separate strengths such as economic development, social justice etc. The second reason comes across as  intriguing because it sheds light over the fact that states in the world are different because their governments stress over distinct features whilst running them. 

      I was also drawn towards the term ‘totalitarian state’ because the text gave instances of Hitler and Stalin in regards to it, and their regimes are such that are classic examples of how simple privileges are snatched for the basic welfare of the state as a whole, much to the discontent of the very same people that the state is thought to 'serve'. I happen to think that the state of North Korea would fit in the description of an extreme version of a totalitarian state. 

   Also, while going through this reading I thought of how the supposed protection of a state can result in actions that can bring tremendous harm to others.  One may perceive America as using drone strikes for fulfilling the purpose of a state (that is providing protection for many citizens). However, these  drone strikes are harming innocent people as well and hence doing the exact opposite of what they are ideally supposed to do.