Concept
Sovereign state
Overview
A sovereign state is a state that has sovereignty, that is, the highest authority over a territory. It is commonly understood that a sovereign state is independent. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may also refer to a constituent country, or a dependent territory.
A sovereign state is required to have a permanent population, defined territory, a government not under the control of another, and the capacity to interact with other sovereign states. In actual practice, recognition or non-recognition by other states plays an important role in determining the status of a country. Although the political existence of the sovereign state is independent of recognition by the other states, unrecognized states often have difficulty engaging in diplomatic relations with other sovereign states.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
A body politic of this kind is called a Democracy, which may be defined as a society which wields all its power as a whole. The sovereign power is not restrained by any laws, but every one is bound to obey it in all things; such is the state of things implied when men either tacitly or expressly handed over to it all their power of self-defense, or in other words, all their right. For if they had wished to retain…
Benedictus de Spinoza, The Philosophy of Spinoza
States what Sovereign state is.
The most extensive public benevolence which can commonly be exerted with any considerable effect, is that of the statesmen, who project and form alliances among neighbouring or not very distant nations, for the preservation either of, what is called, the balance of power, or of the general peace and tranquillity of the states within the circle of their negotiations. The statesmen, however, who plan and execute such…
Adam Smith, The Essays of Adam Smith
States what Sovereign state is; names Sovereign state.
Why on those shores are we with joy survey’d, Admired as heroes, and as gods obey’d, Unless great acts superior merit prove, And vindicate the bounteous powers above? ’Tis ours, the dignity they give to grace; The first in valour, as the first in place; That when with wondering eyes our martial bands Behold our deeds transcending our commands, Such, they may cry, deserve the sovereign state, Whom those that envy…
Homer, The Iliad
Names Sovereign state.
Philosophers who discussed Sovereign state
Related ideas
- Government
- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
- Idealism
- Authority
- Nation state
- Ontology
- Jean Bodin
- State (polity)
- Sovereignty
- Self-determination
- United Nations
- World War II
- Congress of Vienna
- Indigenous peoples
- Czechoslovakia
- Cambridge University Press
- International law
- International relations
- Territory
- Diplomacy
- Northern Cyprus
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Philosophy of war.