Definitions HQ

The State (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the name of the body-politic when it is passive and when it is active it is called the sovereign.

A State (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a family in which the pleasure of commanding takes the place of the love the father has for his children.

A State (n.) loses ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠strength by growing: every extension of the social tie is a relaxation of it, and a small State is stronger in proportion than a great one.

State (n.) pressed ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠for a definition by those who would sacrifice individuals to it shrinks to a handful of officers who, having sworn to perish for the people, conclude the people must perish for them.

A State (n.) differs ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠from the family in being built to last for ever: the small family exists to dissolve into new ones, the great family need only maintain itself, and any growth does it more harm than good.

A State (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a public person that consumes without producing; it lives on the superfluities of individuals, and so can exist only where labour yields more than men need.

The State (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the union of all persons in a passive repose, as opposed to 'sovereign' (defined the same union when active) or 'power' (the state is the same union when compared to others like itself).

A State (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠invented by those it served, not those it harmed: the poor had only their freedom to lose and would never have handed it over for nothing, while the rich could be hurt in every part of their possessions.