The state has been at the center of national and international political life precisely since the 16th century, and has therefore always been the subject of contestation in many respects. First, it is important to note that a state, in its simplest sense, refers to an abstract entity consisting of a government, a people, and a territory (see Box 9.1). Much more needs to be said about this abstract entity, but for now it suffices to note that it has a "collective personality that makes it immortal" (van Creveld 1999: 258). Governments may come and go, populations may come and go, and territorial boundaries may shift, but the state remains a "continuing structure of government, decision-making, law interpretation, and enforcement" (Dunn 2000: 80). It remains. One of his most incisive and influential definitions of the state was presented by the great German sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920) in the early 20th century. He defined the state as ``a human community that (successfully) claims exclusive rights to the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory'' (Max Weber 1948: 78). This is consistent with the definition of a modern state above, but with a firm focus on state activities. Box 9.1: Logic of terminology State, modern state, sovereignty State = government + population + territory Modern state = state + sovereignty + state Sovereignty means a single highest decision-making body. Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States (1933) enumerates his four criteria for a state: 1. Population 2. Territory 3. Government 4. Others State Approval. Introduction to International Relations S 136, not what it aspires to or what it achieves. In fact, the state is a political entity in which a governmental body composed of politicians and administrators enacts and enforces laws that regulate social life within a particular territory in pursuit of various political principles. . Masu. But for Weber, the key to understanding the state lies not in law or political doctrine, but in the means of maintaining government control: coercion. For historical sociologists such as John Weber, Anthony Giddens, Michael Mann, Theda Skopol, and Charles Tilly, the state is best understood in terms of the specific means by which it functions: the control and organization of the forces that support its governance. ing. Defined. Tilly (1985: 170) defines the state as a “relatively centralized and differentiated organization whose officials, more or less successfully, are responsible for the primary violence concentrated within the population living in vast contiguous territories. It is defined as "controlling the means." Defined as "to claim". Although his definition includes reference to territory and population, the key issue for him is control of the means of coercion. This may seem counterintuitive since states are generally understood to be concerned with order and peace, but order and peace require enforcement by courts and police.