📘 POLITICAL THEORY – SOVEREIGNTY (CLASSICAL TO GLOBAL ERA)
Absolute Authority, Popular Sovereignty & Crisis of the Nation-State | UPSC PSIR Notes
1️⃣ WHAT IS SOVEREIGNTY?
Sovereignty refers to the supreme, final and absolute authority within a political community.
Two Dimensions:
- Internal Sovereignty: Supreme authority within territory
- External Sovereignty: Freedom from external control
It is the defining feature of the modern State.
2️⃣ CLASSICAL THEORY – JEAN BODIN
Bodin defined sovereignty as absolute and indivisible power of the State.
- Supreme law-making authority
- Not subject to human law
- Permanent power
Foundation of modern centralized state.
3️⃣ THOMAS HOBBES – ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN
To prevent chaos, sovereign must be absolute.
- No right to rebellion
- Authority cannot be divided
- Security above liberty
Strong defense of political absolutism.
4️⃣ LOCKE & ROUSSEAU – POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
Locke: Sovereignty ultimately rests with the people.
Rousseau: Sovereignty lies in General Will.
Modern democracy is based on popular sovereignty.
5️⃣ LEGAL THEORY – AUSTIN
Sovereignty is the command of a determinate human superior.
- Law = command backed by sanction
- Monistic concept of sovereignty
Criticized for ignoring constitutional democracy.
6️⃣ PLURALIST CRITIQUE – LASKI
State is not supreme — many associations share authority.
- Trade unions
- Religious bodies
- Local governments
Sovereignty is neither absolute nor indivisible.
7️⃣ MARXIST VIEW
Sovereignty masks class power.
State authority ultimately protects ruling class interests.
8️⃣ GLOBALIZATION & DECLINE OF SOVEREIGNTY
- International organizations
- Global markets
- Human rights regimes
- Multinational corporations
Absolute sovereignty is challenged.
9️⃣ CONTEMPORARY REINTERPRETATIONS
- Pooled sovereignty (European Union model)
- Shared sovereignty in federal systems
- Constitutional sovereignty vs Parliamentary sovereignty
Modern sovereignty is complex and layered.
📝 UPSC MAINS QUESTIONS
- Discuss evolution of sovereignty from Bodin to globalization.
- Is sovereignty compatible with federalism?
- Critically evaluate Austin’s theory of sovereignty.
- Has globalization weakened the nation-state?
📌 QUICK REVISION MAP
- Bodin → Absolute & Indivisible
- Hobbes → Security-based Absolutism
- Locke/Rousseau → Popular Sovereignty
- Austin → Legal Monism
- Laski → Pluralism
- Globalization → Eroded / Transformed Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the soul of the State — but its meaning evolves with power and politics.
No comments:
Post a Comment