Basis of public good, welfare and security of its citizens

The nation-state is the basis of all decisions relating to its citizen including the public good, the welfare and the security of the citizenry. Public good defined in terms of the principles of excludability and non-rival consumption is provided by the nation-state. While the principle of excludability implies that the exclusion of individuals from the benefits of the public good is not possible as it is available to all, the principle of non-rival consumption means that the consumption of public good by an individual does not exclude the possibility of consumption by another. For example, national defence provides security from external aggression to all and does not exclude any, and its consumption by one person does not diminish another’s chance of being protected. In other words, there is no marginal cost to provide security to more than one citizen. The nation-state is considered as the basis for providing welfare, public good and security to its people and has the ability/right to tax and redistribute incomes. Any decision affecting the citizen either emanates from the nation-state or has its consent. If it is otherwise, it is considered either as intervention/aggression or violation of the right of the nation-state. As such, the nation-state is considered to be the sole instrument or at least the overarching instrument of development, security, welfare and redistribution of resources for the population within its boundary. Thus, the nation-state is the most effective political formation that can guarantee the economic well-being, physical security and cultural identity of the people who constitute its citizens.