The key defining aspect of a state is that it has sovereignty vested in it: Power flows from the state down, no matter how who controls the state is determined. It then becomes a weapon of those who control the state, which is never the population as a whole (at best it might be a majority). This is its political purpose.<p>The state also serves administrative functions, but the existence of these administrative functions do not rely on the state any more than current supranational organs rely on a single world government handing down power: They can continue to exist by having their power delegated from below.<p>The difference, of course, being that when you are dependent on having your power delegated from &quot;below&quot;, you need to thread much more carefully.