This article is concerned with a theoretical discussion on the concept of sovereignty, considering its many aspects. First of all, two kinds of sovereignty are discussed - the internal and the external ones - ; secondly, the article deals with the foundations of the very discussion on sovereignty. Beyond its relation with the domestic affairs, sovereignty also concerns the relations one state maintains with other states. To deal with the external sovereignty, the state system of Westphalia is taken as an example. Considering the domestic side, due to the French Revolution, the original sovereignty of princes has become, in a first step, in the sovereignty of the nation and, finally, in the sovereignty of the people. Considering the foundations and the means of execution of the sovereignty, three forms are distinguished: the parliamentary, the constitutional and the direct popular sovereignty. In the sequence, some criticisms made to the concept and the practice of sovereignty are presented. The article concludes with a rapid discussion on this question: if a middle power (like Germany) or a peripheral country (like Brazil) is able to conquer or to preserve it own sovereignty.
sovereignty; decision; external sovereignty; internal sovereignty; parliamentary sovereignty; constitutional sovereignty; direct popular sovereignty; nuclear powers