Q8. Jean Bodin and Sovereignty

Question 1

Who is Jean Bodin?

Answer 1

• French Political philosopher
• Lived during the Protestant Reformation 16th century

Question 2

What are Bodin’s main ideas?

Answer 2

• Bodin’s central idea is that sovereignty must be absolute, perpetual, and undivided.
• He recognized that his rejection of mixed sovereignty ran counter to the political theory of Aristotle.
• Bodin’s concept of sovereignty was rooted in the idea that the state (or sovereign) possessed ultimate and absolute authority within its territory. He argued that sovereignty should not be divided or shared, and the sovereign power had the authority to **make and enforce laws without limitation. **

Question 3

What did Bodin’s thinking influence?

Answer 3

• significant departure from the feudal system, where authority was fragmented among various local lords and institutions.
• His impact played a role in the development of the modern nation-state.
• His ideas on sovereignty helped shape the way political power and authority were understood and established the basis for the **centralized and unified state authority **that is a fundamental aspect of modern political systems.
• Many of Bodin’s ideas were put forward by King Louis the 14th who established an absolute monarchy in which he consolidated power, reduced authority of local nobility and asserted royal control over the administration of the state.

Question 4

Does greater intervention mean that sovereignty is more frequently violated or rather that the nature of sovereignty is changing?

Answer 4

I believe that to a degree yes, greater intervention does meant that sovereignty is being violated – but only to a degree. As the second part of this question notes, sovereignty is also changing. We can say that instead of looking for a balance of power today we seek to find a balance between having and giving up sovereignty. A balance where the more you give up the more likely you are to achieve security, but only to a certain end. We must find the equilibrium in this. This same equilibrium can be attributed to the notion that as democracy evolves it is slowly become socialist, well as sovereignty evolves it is slowly becoming less sovereign.