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Finland is a state. The Library of Parliament was once the national library of the Finnish state. But what exactly does that mean? This information package sheds light on the concept of state, the history of the concept, how a state operates and what its future might be.
Text: Timo Turja, March 2015, updated March 2023, e-mail: firstname.lastname@parliament.fi
Saatavilla myös: Suomi valtiona -tietopakettiTillgänglig också: Informationspaket om Finland som stat
The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: a permanent population; a defined territory; government; and capacity to enter into relations with the other states.
The state is governed according to a constitution. A constitution is a set of legal principles that determines the government and basic rights within a state.
For the state to be able to function, it needs revenue, which is collected through taxation. The state budget is approved by the Parliament. Managing state finances is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.
The establishment of a state is not just a legislative and legal matter. For a state to be acknowledged, it is required that people living within its territory are conscious of being members of the state.
Constitution as the foundation of the state.
Statehood requires the recognition of other states. International and bilateral treaties between states reinforce the status of a state within the international community.