Sovereignty

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Sovereignty

Sovereignty refers to ultimate and absolute authority designated to

either an individual or an institutional body.

The term sovereignty could be contested due to the fact that there is

no universally agreed definition. Thomas Hobbes defined what he

considered the basis of a political body as 'the most high and

perpetual.' (Hobbes, quoted in Heywood, 1997, p26.) This view has

proved rather simplistic. It fails to take into consideration the

limitations on the sovereign. Bodin highlighted that although

sovereignty provided absolutism, there were restrictions such as

natural laws. (Bodin quoted in Heywood, 1997, p26). Offe supports this

by explaining of international restrictions on the sovereign.

'National communities by no means exclusively 'programme' the actions,

decisions and policies of their governments.'(Offe, quoted in Held,

2002, p352). The concept can be further contested by focusing on the

nature of the sovereign. It is largely accepted that the sovereign

holds the ultimate power. However there are critics that argue that

due to sovereignty being intrinsic to democracy, the ultimate power

lies with the electorate. 'The people rule through the sovereign. The

sovereign is their representative.' (Held, 2002, p77). This contests

the idea that there is a single, ultimate source of power. David Held

supported this by explaining that sovereignty is divided among

'national, regional and international' agencies. (Held, 2002, p352).

The concept can be questioned due to distinctions being made between

legal, political, external and internal sovereignty. (Heywood, 1997,

p143). Due to the existence of a typology, the c...

... middle of paper ...

...article refers to the impact EU legislation, in particular the

planned constitution has on UK sovereignty due to EU law overriding

national law. The view generated contradicts that of Jack Straw who

argued that the EU constitution strengthens national government.

Bibliography

BBC News, Roger Knapman on the EU constitution,( 2004)

Httpp://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-1/1/hi/UK_politics/3962309.htm

BBC News, UN backs Lebanon sovereignty call,(2004)

Http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/3622260.stm

Bealey. Frank. Chapman. Richard.A. and Sheehan. Michael. 1999.

Elements in Political Science. (Cornwall. Edingburgh University Press)

p.323, 360

Held. David. 2002. Models of Democracy.(Cornwall. Blackwell

Publishers) p77,352-360.

Heywood. Andrew.1997. Politics. (Wiltshire. Palgrave) p26,143

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