Political Science and International Relations

Examine the challenges to the sovereignty of the State in the contemporary world. UPSC 2015 Paper 1A Qn 2a The concept of sovereignty is increasingly contested in the contemporary global order. Internal challenges to the sovereignty of the state came from the growing authority of various groups and associations. External challenges to sovereignty came from the international environment due to political, economic, technological, and social transformations. Challenges to the Sovereignty of State - Role of Power Blocs - In the past, any state could manage its defense by organizing its military power and by entering into alliances with other friendly states.  Superpowers created very big military alliances with their own nuclear weapons and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), and no nation-state remained capable of providing for the effective security of its citizens by conventional means. Globalization and economic interdependence-  The...

Globalization promotes the increasing interaction of the inhabitants. Globalization is the process of integrating the national economy, culture, technology, and even governance into a global system.  The other side provided the insight into straining State sovereignty. State sovereignty has never been absolute except legally. Questions were raised regarding the state sovereignty. Aspects pointed out by David Held -  Government's effectiveness of particular instruments has shown a decline with increase on global connectedness. Border controls have lessened. Expansion in transnational forces and interactions which reduce the influence a particular governments can exercise over the citzens. The domains such as defence and communication cannot be fulfilled without resorting to international forms of collaboration. Political integration is necessary among states to control the destabilising effects of the states. Vast number of institutions and organisations for global governance l...

Development of the Concept of the Concept of Sovereignty - Aristotle - defined it as the supreme power of the state. He said the deliberative organ of the state and law should be sovereign respectively. Romans viewed the law of the state as binding upon the citizens. Romans advocated for Uniformity of law Centralized administration Common citizenship Medieval ages - There is no unified authority Pope claimed superiority over the king King was not sovereign Barker calls it a 'Paradise of Estates'. King's competitors are the 'Estates' Jean Bodin - Propounded the modern concept of Sovereignty. Sovereignty is defined as the Supreme power over citizens unrestrained by law. Citizenship is subjected to Sovereign. King is the Sovereign in Monarchy and in democracy it resides in popular bodies. Customary and Constitutional law and private property limited Bodin's Sovereign. Hobbes - Absolute and unlimited Sovereignt...