State

"State" does not have just one definition. In the context of anarchism, it is a political entity that has a government. It is often assumed to mean the same thing as "government," but that is not always true. A state may have any type of government. "States" aren't physical objects or people-- the word just refers to an idea.

According to sociologist Max Weber, a state is an institution that is the only one with the monopoly on legitimized violence, meaning that violence that it uses is seen as necessary and fair. For example, violence by the military and/or police force is seen as good or neutral, and violence by the average citizen is seen as bad. (To him, a state is also confined to a certain geographical area.) Many anarchists agree with this definition.

Anarchists support a society with no state.