Sovereignty

Explanation

Sovereignty is the foundational concept of international relations: the idea that a state has ultimate authority within its borders and cannot be subjected to external control without its consent. The modern system of sovereign states was codified in the Peace of Westphalia (1648). External sovereignty means other states must recognize a country's right to self-governance; internal sovereignty means the state holds ultimate power over its population and territory. Sovereignty is increasingly complicated by international institutions (UN, EU, WTO), where states pool sovereignty voluntarily, and by doctrines like Responsibility to Protect, which allow international intervention when states fail to protect their populations from atrocities.