@ 30.11.2022

The state, once established at the dawn of civilization as an apparatus of governance and oppression, has assumed some other functions in the modern world. Of course, governance and oppression have not gone away, but the ordinary citizen has found that they have made some pleasant and very useful improvements in his or her everyday life.

According to the Social Contract Theory, collectively, people decided to transfer some of their rights to the state to ensure general order, security and other favourable conditions, which it undertook to provide at the expense of taxes paid by citizens. Today, this may be called a succinct term 'public service'.

The state provides us with services. At least it should. You bet it does. After all, for our money in the form of taxes. Philosophically speaking, the state is a measure of value, equilibrium and justice.

Namely, the state determines the necessary order, procedures, regulations, considers a particular sector important and vital, and ultimately regulates it in the interests of society as a whole.

With certainty, we can say that in some developed countries, the state is really a welfare state that sets the rules for living, helps people in their hard times, protects them against violence, cares for them and makes it possible for them to live fully and develop professionally and personally.

As in the case of any individual, it is the balance between the interests of society and those of the individual that matters in the state. The state is such a balance, provided that this balance is not appropriated by some group of power-holders (otherwise we get Russia, or Venezuela, or North Korea).

Any person, national or foreign, should be able at any time to turn to any public authority or institution for free (or for a minimal fee) collection of any information, document or service, without any preconditions and/or restrictions, thus exercising his civil rights.

The state is obliged to provide the information, documents or service requested as soon as possible at the request of the applicant, or rightfully refuse the request by referring to specific limitations explicitly provided for in the law. Any such refusal may be appealed to the courts.

It would seem that there is nothing complicated or unrealistic in this side-by-side algorithm of interaction between a person and the state, but the current reality shows corruption, incompetence, or trivial red tape in the performance by the state machine of its original functions.