Venezuela and the main functions of the state

The state has its specific functions, what could be called as force functions, functions of law and functions of civilization.

Understanding each one of them in the following way:

The functions of force, is aimed at the defense of the State against external dangers, the maintenance of order in the interior and the protection of the individual against the abuse of their peers.

The functions of law, exercised by the State through the enactment of laws and the administration of justice.

The functions of civilization of the State, are intended to provide the common welfare and the moral, intellectual, artistic, economic and social advancement of the people.

From the theoretical point of view, why the state should not pursue profit in the presentation of services that under different classifications to the people; but rather, its ultimate goal must be to satisfy collective needs. From this point of view, it does not make sense that the government's accounting, there are gutters that allow to register profits or losses. However, this reasoning results in the present a bit "uphill", because the Venezuelan State has modified and expanded its functions. So that, today, the Venezuelan government participates in a series of activities ranging from storage and distribution of food to the exploitation of mining, metal-mechanic, oil and petrochemical activities, going on to compete with the private sector with several channels of semi-commercial television, running tourist hotels, and finally, dissimilar activities that place our State under the rank of entrepreneur. Lender and coordinator of artistic and cultural activities.
It is true that the State should not pursue profit in the services it provides to the community, but it is also true that the State must seek to make its investments in commercial companies profitable, or at least those companies are self-financing: otherwise, we would be in the presence of a deliberate attitude of waste, whose sole purpose would be to compete with the private sector of the economy, in activities that are neither of force nor of law and much less of civilization.