Sovereignty

Supreme, independent power exercised in a state’s domestic and foreign policy. The term “sovereignty” was first used in reference to constitutional law in the 16th century by the French scholar J. Bodin. The concept of popular sovereignty was used by the bourgeoisie in its struggle against absolutism and feudalism in order to win the support of the common people. Sovereignty varies in different socioeconomic systems, depending on the class-oriented nature of state power and the economic structure of a given society. The power of the people is the basis of sovereignty in socialist states.
Sovereignty is manifested above all in the way a state functions, but it is most apparent in the system of state rights, including sovereign rights. It is precisely the state’s powers that ensure the state’s authority and thus its sovereignty. Supreme state power in a society is characterized by the establishment of law and order and the granting of rights and duties to officials, public organizations, and citizens. These characteristics distinguish state power from other forms of authority, for example, in a family or social group. Only state power can authoritatively influence and, when necessary, exercise coercion on all aspects of life in human society; state power is in effect universal and sovereign in nature.
A state’s domestic sovereignty is closely linked with its independence from foreign powers. Sovereignty gives a state independence in international relations and allows it to act as an autonomous party in matters of international law. The foreign policy of the USSR recognizes the sovereign equality of all states, regardless of the sociopolitical system, economic development, size, or population. The principle of sovereign equality, which is set forth in the UN Charter, is one of the universally recognized principles of modern international law.