SOVEREIGNTY

Sovereignty

Sovereignty refers to the supreme power or absolute authority over a specific territory, state, or group of people. In political theory and international law, it is the foundational concept of a state's right to govern itself independently, free from external interference.

Key Dimensions of Sovereignty

• Domestic Sovereignty: The ability of a state's internal authority or government to maintain control, enforce laws, and manage order within its borders.
• International Legal Sovereignty: The formal recognition of a state's independence and legitimate status by other sovereign states within the international community.
• Westphalian Sovereignty: The principle in international law that each state has exclusive authority over its territory, meaning outside powers cannot dictate its domestic affairs.
• Interdependence Sovereignty: A state's ability to regulate and control the movement of goods, capital, people, and information across its borders.

Related Concepts

• Popular Sovereignty: The democratic principle that a state's authority is created and sustained by the consent of its people, making the citizens the ultimate source of political power.
• Individual Sovereignty: Also known as self-ownership, this is the philosophical concept that an individual has the supreme moral right to govern their own body, life, and choices.