SOVEREIGNTY

Black's Law Dictionary

(Sixth Edition)

The supreme, absolute, and uncontrollable power by which any independent state is governed; supreme political authority; the supreme will; paramount control of the constitution and frame of government and its administration; the self-sufficient source of political power, from which all specific political powers are derived; the international independence of a state, combined with the right and power of regulating its internal affairs without foreign dictation; also a political society, or state, which is sovereign and independent.

The power to do everything in a state without accountability, --to make laws, to execute and to apply them, to impose and collect taxes and levy contributions, to make war or peace, to form treaties of alliance or of commerce with foreign nations, and the like.

Sovereignty in government is that public authority which directs or orders what is to be done by each member associated in relation to the end of the association. It is the supreme power by which any citizen is governed and is the person or body of persons in the state to whom there is politically no superior. The necessary existence of the state and that right and power which necessarily follow is "sovereignty." By "sovereignty" in its largest sense is meant supreme, absolute, uncontrollable power, the absolute right to govern. The word which by itself comes nearest to being the definition of "sovereignty" is will or volition as applied to political affairs.

Bouvier's Law Dictionary

(1856 Edition)

SOVEREIGN STATE. One which governs itself independently of any foreign power.

SOVEREIGNTY. The union and exercise of all human power possessed in a state; it is a combination of all power; it is the power to do everything in a state without accountability; to make laws, to execute and to apply them: to impose and collect taxes, and, levy, contributions; to make war or peace; to form treaties of alliance or of commerce with foreign nations, and the like. Story on the Const. §207.

2. Abstractedly, sovereignty resides in the body of the nation and belongs to the people. But these powers are generally exercised by delegation.

3. When analysed, sovereignty is naturally divided into three great powers; namely, the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary; the first is the power to make new laws, and to correct and repeal the old; the second is the power to execute the laws both at home and abroad; and the last is the power to apply the laws to particular facts; to judge the disputes which arise among the citizens, and to punish crimes.

In the context of Rights and Duties of States, the Restatement of the Law Third states:

"'Sovereignty' is a term used in many senses and is much abused. As used here, it implies a state's lawful control over it's territory generally to the exclusion of other states, authority to govern in that territory, and authority to apply law there."

"The indigenous Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people or over their national lands to the United States, either through their monarchy or through a plebiscite or referendum."

- United States Public Law 103-150, November 23, 1993

Independence: The state of condition of being free from dependence, subjection, or control. Political independence is the attribute of a nation or state which is entirely autonomous, and not subject to the government, control, or dictation of any exterior power. (Black's Law Dictionary, Fifth Edition)

Return to the Hawaiian Independence Home Page or the Legal Documents Index

ov·er·eign·ty   (s v r- n-t , s v r n-)n. pl. sov·er·eign·ties1. Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign state.2. Royal rank, authority, or power.3. Complete independence and self-government.4. A territory existing as an independent state.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

sovereignty [ˈsɒvrəntɪ]

n pl -ties

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) supreme and unrestricted power, as of a state

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the position, dominion, or authority of a sovereign

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) an independent state

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words AntonymsNoun 1. sovereignty - government free from external control

self-determination, self-government, self-rule - government of a political unit by its own people2. sovereignty - royal authority; the dominion of a monarch

reigndominion, rule - dominance or power through legal authority; "France held undisputed dominion over vast areas of Africa"; "the rule of Caesar"scepter, sceptre - the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter

3. sovereignty - the authority of a state to govern another stateauthority, potency, authorization, authorisation, say-so, dominance - the power or right to give orders or

make decisions; "he has the authority to issue warrants"; "deputies are given authorization to make arrests"; "a place of potency in the state"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection

"Sovereignty" is the authority to govern or rule a nation or group of people.

Expanded definition

"Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme political (e.g. legislative, judicial, and/or executive) authority over a geographic region, group of people, or oneself." (from the Latin superanus, supremacy) In a democacy, sovereignty is considered to reside with the individual citizens.

Commentary on the Rights of Man

Firstly, man does not have "rights" but instead one right, the "birthright", to have everything. If plurality of rights appears that really means "privileges", the privilege of use licences. Privilege in the situation does not mean "privilege of the rich". Sovereignty means "soul reign" where if man has an eternal soul, it reigns within him and should in physical life. However, we have many people and many sovereigns may seem a problem. Thus leadership appears amongst sovereigns. It is necessary for order. However, today we do not have sovereignty in the market place as the Polity forgot in history how to bestow or grant it. Therefore, people are sovereign not land or things. We misinterpret many subjects in life. Land can have solidarity, but not sovereignty. The latter is exclusively man's. To grant sovereignty is a simple process of a pure trust Exchangor/Grantor granting it to any human that desires it. Once sovereign, one is a legal individual and not subject to anyone or anything unless he or she so chooses. "As of grace by the sovereign himself (agbesh)" (Blackstone's Commentaries 242 - Corpus Juris Secundum)

User: What are the Importance of Sovereignty to Nigeria

Weegy: Section 308 of the Nigerian constitution of 1999 provides immunity from court proceedings, i.e., proceedings that will compel their attendance in favour of elected executive officers, [ namely the President and his vice and the Governors of the states and the deputies. This immunity extends to acts done in their official capacities so that they are not responsible for acts done on behalf of the state. However, this immunity does not extend to acts done in abuse of the powers of their office of which they are liable upon the expiration of their tenure. But does the elected executive constitute the sovereign in Nigeria? it seems that the judiciary will be better described as the sovereign in Nigeria if the sovereign is the person who in the last resort is able to decide his own competence and that of other contender in the event of any conflict of authority. Failing this, the constitution as an expression of the will of Nigerians is the sovereign.It is important to note that the judiciary has absolute immunity for actions decisions taken in their official capacity. source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_immunity ]

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