 Dewey begins his argument by distinguishing between the "state," represented by elected lawmakers, and the "public," the diffuse, often incoherent body of citizens who elect the state.All interactions from the origin of humanity have been between private parties; as long as they kept to themselves, privately, nothing in society changed.But as soon as these private agreements began affecting the public, such as in industrial disputes, environmental change, or anything of broad-based concern, then these became public problems, which placed them in the jurisdiction of public, decision-making bodies.