THE EVOLUTION OF SOVEREIGNTY: HISTORICAL ROOTS, LEGAL DEVELOPMENT, AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Sovereignty, the ultimate authority of the state, has evolved from an ancient philosophical approach to a modern political and legal paradigm. Historically, it underwent an evolutionary journey through Greek, Roman, Christian, and Islamic traditions, later developed by thinkers like Bodin, Hobbes, and Rousseau. The jurisprudential development of sovereignty was shaped by milestones such as the Treaty of Westphalia, the Vienna Congress, and landmark cases like Lotus and Corfu Channel, inaugurating principles of territorial integrity and non-intervention. This evolution impacted the core concept and influenced diverse national practices, from parliamentary sovereignty in the UK to popular sovereignty in the USA, and constitutional-Islamic sovereignty in Pakistan. Sovereignty is connoted by attributes like permanence, exclusivity, comprehensiveness, inalienability, absoluteness, and indivisibility, and debated through monistic and pluralistic theories. Within a state, it manifests internally as supreme authority, whereas externally as independence in international relations, with forms including de jure, de facto, and popular sovereignty. Ultimately, sovereignty remains the essential foundation of statehood, embodying both authority and the will of the people.