A N A NALYSIS OF THE E VOLUTION OF M ODERN C ONCEPT OF S OVEREIGNTY

Abstract

The ideas inherent in sovereignty have changed over time in phasesphases1 and continued to do so up totoday. These principles will continue to be re evaluated in light of new challenges andopportunities faced by individual states and the collective of states at the international level. TheTreaty of Westphalia which marked the first phase in the development of the modern notions ofsovereignty led to the establishment of the modern system of nation states, in which the sovereignreigned supreme domes tically, as well as in its relations with other states. Using the doctrinalmethod of research, the paper discovered that b efore the end of World War II, states were basicallyoperating in an international system premised on the ideas inherent in classical Westphaliandoctrine and that the second phase in the development of the principle of sovereignty was usheredin by World War II and its conclusion in 1945. In this phase, the absolute power claimed bysovereign states came face to face with the creation of the Unite d Nations Organization and variousInter governmental bodies that espoused the idea of collective actions and state accountability toan international community. The paper concluded that the era of absolute rule ended with thecreation of adoption of the v arious state consented supranational organizations geared towardpredictability in the international system to potentially ensure the continued observance ofinternational humanitarian law principles.