Which is an attribute of the state?

Which is an attribute of the state?

• A. Exerts Authority Over a Population
• B. Governs a Territory
• C. Does Not Require Rules
• D. Has No External Relations

Answer: (B)

Governs a Territory is the best answer because the defining feature of a state is sovereignty exercised over a defined geographic area. This means the state has the authority to make and enforce laws within its borders and to organize government for the people and the land inside that territory. The other statements describe activities or conditions that may accompany a state, but they aren’t what fundamentally sets a state apart: it does exercise authority over its population, but that authority exists within a recognized territory; a state relies on rules and institutions to function; and it maintains external relations with other states, which is a core aspect of sovereignty.

Governs a Territory is the best answer because the defining feature of a state is sovereignty exercised over a defined geographic area. This means the state has the authority to make and enforce laws within its borders and to organize government for the people and the land inside that territory. The other statements describe activities or conditions that may accompany a state, but they aren’t what fundamentally sets a state apart: it does exercise authority over its population, but that authority exists within a recognized territory; a state relies on rules and institutions to function; and it maintains external relations with other states, which is a core aspect of sovereignty.