Whats the difference between a city, a state and a city-state?

Whats the difference between a state and a city?

• They seem pretty much like the same thing to me...

• Answer:

  Most people don't quite get this, but a city is nothing more than an administrative extension of a state. You know how a state can pass it's own laws? Well, our states have merely passed a state law that says, "okay, we're creating an entity called a city (or municipal corporation, or town government, or whatever), and passing on to the city the right to pass laws that have to do with certain specific things, such as speed limits, collecting trash, and whatever else we, the state, allow you to do." So cities exist only because a state has decided it was a good idea to delegate some power. I hope that helps. Just remember, cities (and other local governments) exist solely and only because the state made it so.