THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PARADIGM OF THE CONCEPT OF SOVEREIGNTY

Abstract

The concept of sovereignty represents one of the most important concepts within the framework of modern constitutional law, on which is focused the entire system of State power. The concept of sovereignty appeared in Ancient Greece and later was developed and analyzed by thinkers of the Middle Ages and the modern era. One group of the philosophers formulated the concept of papal sovereignty, believing that state power belongs to the Pope of Rome. Others analyzed the concept of royal sovereignty, stating that all state power should be concentrated in the hands of the king and, thus, personify state power. During the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, the philosophers justified the concepts of popular and national sovereignty. As a result of this research, we aimed to analyze the development of sovereignty from the philosophical point of view, as well as the practical applicability of the theories of great thinkers in the modern period.