Sovereignty

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Perhaps the subtle shades of meaning in these key concepts are best clarified by the notion of sovereignty. Defining this concept and exploring some of its implications also will being us to a convenient and logical point for concluding our introductory inquiry into the nature of the state.

"Sovereign" is from the French and means "above" or one who is superior to others. The term was used to identify the king, but n the sixteenth century, the French political thinker Jean Bodin gave it a new meaning.

Properly understood, Bodin argued, "sovereignty" refers to the sources of the state's authority, regardless of its form of government. Sovereignty may be vested in a king or in some elite group or even in the corporate citizenry of the society over the time. Whatever the form of sovereignty, Bodin explained, it is distinguished by three attributes: it is absolute, perpetual and indivisible.

Bodin's primary concern was to strengthen the authority of the French monarchy, which some argued was constrained to honour certain long-established traditions and principles enshrined in the common law and in France's medieval institutions. But if the king was limited by the common law or by tradition, Bodin observed, the king was not sovereign. And as the sovereign power could not be divided among various institutions, or followed that the king could do whatever the king pleased. Sovereignty was absolute, perpetual and indivisible.

It remained for later and more democratically inspired political thinkers to elaborate Bodin's concept. Was parliament sovereign insofar as it controlled the king? No, because the members of parliament were elected by the people according to the established constitutional law and proceedings. Was the constitution sovereign, then? No, because the constitution could be amended or abolished by the people - either directly or so through their elected representatives. So, who was sovereign? Obviously, the people. Extending voting rights to include all adult citizens, regardless of wealth and social status would mean the sovereignty came to be vested in all the people.

What distinguishes "the state" from "government", "society", and "nation"? Only the state has the primary characteristic of sovereignty i.e. the authority to draft and approve law, amending it and enforcing it as well.

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