The State's Irreducible Characteristic Is a Monopoly on the Legitimate Use of Violence

The way superpatriots express their national pride leaves me uncomfortable. It seems the love we are to have for our country rests on some kind of competition with other countries, that it comes at an expense with other countries. Max Weber once said that the state's irreducible characteristic is a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. And to be sure, state ceremonies in most states include some display of military force. Well, even July 4th fireworks, sometimes, are really a benign representation or replication of the rockets, red glare, the bombs bursting in air.