The history of the concept of sovereignty overlaps with that of the modern State. But today not a few people ask themselves whether this concept is still relevant to describe political life and the legal facts. The economic and financial globalization has set limits to the decision power of national governments. The state system of laws and rights is contested by the agents of the new market. And the formation of economic and political blocks and the rise of non-governmental organizations are prone to bring the dealing of crucial subjects to a multinational level. This article adresses these topics and points out why the democratic ideals, born out of the Nation-State experience, should guide the political future of the global institutions.
Sovereignty; rights and democracy; globalization