1. An information life cycle management system including a storage device for storing information composed of a database and a program, and a data processing device for processing information objects each of which is a block of information in the storage device, said data processing device comprising: means for defining a plurality of information life cycle states associated with the information, among which states the information is transformable; means for defining an available operation for said information associated with each of said states; means for selecting one of said states for said information; and means for performing at least one of the available operations on the information.