The Purpose of a State

Abstract

In a contribution to a symposium on Nick Barber’s book, The Principles of Constitutionalism, I argue that Barber is right to explain the principles of constitutionalism by reference to the purpose of a state, but I defend a restatement of that purpose. Barber says that it is to advance the well-being of the citizens. I argue that the purpose is more open-ended: it is to make the political community a good one. The state has duties that are not grounded in the well-being of its citizens, and it may legitimately pursue good public purposes that do not advance its citizens’ well-being. The state is for its citizens, not primarily in the sense that it is there to make them better off, but in the sense that it is a way for citizens (and not for outsiders) to act as an organized community.