Sovereignty

Sovereignty is the condition of having supreme power or authority. While the concept has been used with respect to a variety of topics, from the theological to the philosophical, it is used most often with respect to nation-states in the modern international states system. It describes both the right of a state to govern within its territory along with its authority over its population, and the recognition of this right and authority by other sovereigns. The use of the term has evolved over time. Before the nineteenth century the ruler was sovereign; now it is the state or the citizenry. The sovereign rights of the state have changed over time as well; sovereignty is limited by norms of nonaggression and human rights. Some groups within states, particulary indigenous peoples, claim or have been granted a measure of sovereignty.