1. A political constitution defines the structure of government offices, how power is distributed, who holds sovereign authority, and the goals of the association and its members. Laws govern how officials exercise their powers and enforce rules.
2. Forms of government include federalism where power is shared between central/national and state/provincial governments, and centralism where decisions are made by a single central authority regardless of regional differences.
3. A state is a form of social organization with institutions that have involuntary coercive power to regulate life within a particular territory.