Sovereignty is associated with autonomy.
Sovereignty is a concept that can be understood in different ways depending on the chosen approach. Within the scope of politics , sovereignty is associated with the fact of exercising authority in a certain territory. This authority rests with the people, although the people do not directly exercise it but instead delegate said power to their representatives.
The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) also defines the concept of sovereignty as the highest authority within a political scheme and mentions the sovereign as the superior being within an entity that is not material.
For example: "Argentina once again claimed sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands" , "We cannot say what to do in a territory over which we do not have sovereignty" , "The Central American president preferred not to make statements about the conflict since he said have no intention of getting involved in the sovereignty of a foreign country .
Etymology of sovereignty
Before moving forward with the definition of the term sovereignty, it is important that we determine its etymological origin . In this sense, it must be emphasized that it is found in Latin and more specifically in the union of several elements of said language.
Thus, it is formed by the sum of super ( "above" ), the suffix anus (which can be translated as "origin" ) and the suffix ia . Starting from this we could determine that the meaning of the concept is that of the quality that the sovereign has; that is, the one who has authority over the rest.
The power of the State
In this sense, it is important that we emphasize that there are different types of sovereignty. Thus, we find national sovereignty , which establishes that power is in the hands of the people and that this is exercised through the set of constitutional bodies that are representative of citizens .
Take the case of Spain . In this country it is established in its Magna Carta , and more precisely in its article 1.2 , that national sovereignty resides in the Spanish people and that it is precisely from them that the respective powers of the State are born.
A war of independence to achieve decolonization is one way to achieve sovereignty.
Importance of sovereignty
Jean Jacques Rousseau maintained that it is always the people who have the right to exercise sovereignty. However, each individual faces the duality of acting as a sovereign but also as a subject simultaneously. People are involved in creating authority while, at the same time, they are subject to the same authority that they helped develop.
These characteristics make, for Rousseau , all citizens equal and able to conduct themselves freely . There is no specific person who commands, but the orders are emanated from an undetermined subject who comes to represent the will of the people.
Other uses of the term
In the field of international law , sovereignty is known as the right that a State has to exercise its powers . The violation of a country's sovereignty can have tragic consequences, including the start of a war .
In addition to everything mentioned above, we can determine that sovereignty is a word that in ancient times was used as a synonym for arrogance or pride . A meaning that, to a certain extent, is in line with the term sovereign with which it is related, since it was the one who "was above the rest."
The defense of national security is key to the sovereignty of a country.
Examples of sovereignty
Sovereignty is usually associated with political power . A sovereign government, therefore, has the power to administer its territory within the limits imposed by the Constitution . Take the case of Uruguay : it is a country with a certain territory in South America. The government elected by the Uruguayan people in democracy has self-determination to define and execute the policies that govern within it.
Many times sovereignty is linked to independence . For example, Algeria was a French colony until it achieved independence after an extensive war. Thus, since 1962 , Algerians have had sovereignty to decide their destiny.
The dispute over sovereignty can be reflected through a territorial conflict linked to borders. These confrontations can be resolved through diplomacy through international relations or lead to warlike actions. We can mention the example of Ecuador and Peru , which had an extensive border dispute over the definition of sovereignty in areas of the Andes mountain range and the Amazon River basin.
It is also possible to point out the case of Argentina and the United Kingdom , countries fighting over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands ( Falkland Islands for the British). On a recurring basis, the Argentine authorities raise their claim before the United Nations (UN) seeking international recognition for their claim.
It is interesting to mention that there are peoples who do not have sovereignty over territories. Gypsies , for example, do not have a nation-state.
Another issue to consider is that sovereignty can be affected even without territorial integrity being threatened. An economic blockade or international sanctions can reduce the margin of action of a government , whose mandate will be affected.