H.

P NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY,

SHIMLA

Assignment
Political science

Submitted To
Assistent Prof (Dr.) VED PRAKASH
Submitted By
Kunal mehto

Roll no. – 16
BA.LLB.(HONS.)
1ST SEMESTER
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

"It is not possible to prepare a project report without the

assistance &encouragement of other people. This one is
certainly no exception. "
I would like to express my thanks to the people who have
helped me most throughout my project. I am grateful to my
professor MR VED PRAKASH for nonstop support for the
project.

A special thank of mine goes to S.C RAINA SIR(VC

NLU,SHIMLA) who helped me out in completing the project.I
wish to thank my parents for their personal support or
attention who inspired me to go my own way.

At last but not the least I want to thank my friends who

treasured me for my hard work and encouraged me and
finally to God who made all the things possible for me till
the end.

KUNAL
MEHTO
Table of Contents

1. Introduction(nature and scope of political science)……………………..……..4

2. Definition, meaning and elements of State……………………………………..8
3. Political parties & pressure groups……………………………………………11
4. Sovereignty: definition, characteristics and Austin’s theory…………………16
5. References……………………………………………………............25
Introduction

The term Political Science is intimately related to the word "Politics", which itself is derived
from the Greek word — "Polis" — that means a city-state, the general form of political
organisation in ancient Greece. The origin of political thought in the west, therefore, goes back to
Greece.

The Sophists (the wandering teachers of wisdom) particularly Protagoras and Gorgias in Athens
were the first to deal with this mode of thought and then expound a political theory. Later on
Socrates, Plato and Aristotle continued to conduct the scientific study of the various problems
concerning the state and the government.

Aristotle, the world- famous Greek philosopher, however, excelled his teacher — Plato and his
teacher's teacher — Socrates. Now he (Aristotle) is regarded as the father of the science of
Politics in the west. While Manu is considered to be the first political thinker of India and his
famous book "Manusmriti" is regarded as the first book of law in India.

Later on, it was Chanakya who formed and formulated Indian political thinking and gave it a
concrete form in the shape of a book named "KautilyaArthashastra", a well-known book of
Indian Polity.

Definitions of Political Science:

Traditional Definitions:

(a) According to Paul Janet, "Political Science is the part of social science which treats of the
foundations of the State and the principles of Government."

(b) Bluntschli believes that "Political Science is a science, which is concerned with the State,
endeavors to understand and comprehend the State in its essential nature, various forms,
manifestations and developments."

(c) Garris, famous German author is of the opinion that "Political Science deals with the origin,
development, purpose, and all political problems of the State."

(d) Gettell says, "It is, thus, a study in the past, present and future, of political organisations and
political theories."

(e) According to Lord Acon, "Political Science is concerned with the State and with conditions
essential for its development."

(f) Dr. Garner believes that "Political Science begins and ends with the State."
(g) According to Leacock, "Political Science deals with Government."

(h) Seeley says, "Political Science investigates the phenomena of Government as Political
Economy deals with Wealth, Biology with life. Algebra with numbers and Geometry with space
and magnitude."

(i) As new approaches to the study of Political Science has been made with the interaction of
new forces. Catlin defines Political Science as the study of "the act of human and social control"
or "the study of control relationship of wills." There are on the other hand German writers who
study it from sociological point of view and they regard it as "the problem of power and social
control."

If we closely study and analyze all the definitions given above, we come to the conclusion that
the main subject of the study of Political Science is the State and Government.

Nature of Political Science

There are different views on the nature of politics Aristotle, Bodin, Hobbes, Bluntschli,
Montesquieu, few is, Sedgwick, Jellinek, etc, hold that politics is a science.
But writers like J.S. Hill, Maitland, Collin, Barker, etc, maintain that is only on art.
1. Politics is a Science
Politics is considered as science on the following grounds.
(1).Politics can be studied in a systematic manner. 
(2).It is said that experimentation is possible in politics. 
(3). Political Science, like other Sciences, has absolute and universal laws. 
(4). It is possible to make predictions in politics, but in a limbed are. (5).These are certain
principles and methods on which political thinkers unanimously agree. 
(6). Politics is a subject which has scientific nature. 
(7).at present, politics has attained modernity.
2.  Politics is not a Science
(1). Politics has no absolute and universal laws like physical sciences or exact sciences. 
(2). It does not observe the theory of cause and effect which is the basis of all Sciences. 
(3).The subject of politics has not developed in a steady, regular and continuous manner. 
(4). Scientific methods of observation and experimentation cannot be applied to politics. 
Scope of Political Science

Political Science is a dynamic subject, and its scope has been changing continuously with time
and situations. On the one hand, it includes the study state as it has been; state as it is and the
state as it ought to be. It is also concerned with the state and the government, and even the
concepts like power.

1. State as it has been. Firstly, political science makes a survey of the origin and
growth of organized political life. It takes into consideration the evolution of
political forms from simple to complex. This study of past has been of great help
in understanding the evolution of the present institutions, ideas and processes.
2. State as it is. Political science makes an imperical investigation of existing
political institutions and phenomenon. It also examines the prevailing political
concepts and the groups or organizations, which seek power and influence the
society, and deals with the attributes, form and structure of the government and
their working, purpose and functions. It also deals with various international
organizations and bodies and rules of international conduct, or international law.
3. State as should be. Finally political science tries to arrive at practicl decisions
about the policy to be adopted on the basis of the past experiences and the current
working of the political institutions. It makes efforts to make proposals for
modification in the existing political structure and process to make them more
effective.
Hence political science helps to explain the past of the state to understand its
present and to direct its future.

Furthermore, modern political scientists have included the political behavior of man and the
political activities done by him, which are related to power, rule and authority in the scope of
political science. In this way, political science has become much wider in its scope which can be
divided into the following categories –

1. Study of the behavior of individual. Political science studies individual behavior, for he
is not only a social being, but also a political being, and he is concerned to all types of
 political activities. Without individual, we cannot think of state and politics. According to
modern political scientists, without the study of human behavior, we can neither draw
right conclusions, nor we can understand political activities in proper perspective.
2. Study of authoritative allocation of Values. Politics studies those human actions and
interactions that affect the whole society. In politics, values means decisions, which are
meant to achieve definite purpose. Political science is concerned with the process of
decision making or the implementation of various policies.
3. Study of leadership. The scope of political science includes the study of leadership.
Leadership is the activity of persuading people to cooperate in the achievement of a
common objective.
4. Study of political parties and pressure groups. Political parties and pressure groups
play a vital role in the present day politics. They are inevitable and no representative
government can work without them. They bring order out of chaos of a multitude of
voter, and they avert and mitigate others if parties create some problems.

Conclusion

Hence political science is a very wide and dynamic concept. Its subject matter is developing day
by day. Now every activity which is of political nature, comes under the scope of political
science. The modern scientists have expanded the scope of political science to all those activities
which are concerned with shaping and sharing of power, influence and authority. In brief, we can
say that political science is a social science which is concerned with the state and government,
and with the political activities of individuals living in the state.
THE STATE AND ITS ELEMENTS

Definitions:
The state is the most universal and most powerful of all social institutions. The state is an natural
institution. Aristotle said manias social animal and by nature he is a political being. To him, to live
in the state and to be a man were identical.
Themodernterm“state”isderivedfromtheword
“Status”. It was Niccolo Machiavelli(1469–1527)who first used the term“state”in his
writings. His important work is titled as “Prince”.
The state is the highest form of human association.It is necessary because it comes into
existence out of the basic needs of life.It continues ore main for the sake of good life.
The aims, desires and aspirations of human beings are translated into action through the
state.Though the state is a necessary institution, no two writers agree on its definition.
To Woodrow Wilson,“State is a people organized for law within a definite territory.”
Aristotle defined the state as a“union of families and villages having forits end a perfect and
self–sufficing life by which it meant a happy and honourable life”.
To Holland ,the state is“a numerous assemblage of human beings generally occupying a
certain territory amongst whom the will of the majority or class is made to prevail against
any of their number who oppose it.”
Burgess defines the state as“a particular portion of mankind viewed as an organized unit.
According to Sidgwick. “State is a combination or association of persons in the form of
government and governed and united together into a politically organized people
of a definite territory.”
According to Garner, “State is a community of people occupying a definite form of
territory free of external control and possessing an organized government to which people
show habitual obedience.”
Prof. Laskidefines “state as a territorial society divided into government and subjects
whose relationships are determined by the exercise of supreme coercive power.”
Elements of a state
From the above definitions, it is clear that the following are the elements of the state :-

Physical bases of the State

1. Population

2. Territory Political bases of the State

3. Government

 4.Soverignty

Population :It is the people who make the state. Population is essential for the state. Greek
thinkers were of the view that the population should neither be too big nor too small. According
to Plato the ideal number would be 5040.

 According to Aristotle, the number should be neither too large nor too small. It should be large
enough to be self – sufficing and small enough to be well governed. Rousseau

determined 10,000 to be an ideal number for a state. Greek thinkers like Plato and Aristotle
thinking on the number was based on small city – states like Athens and Sparta. Modern states
vary in population. India has a population of 102,70,15,247 people according to 2001 census.

Territory :There can be no state without a fixed territory. People need territory to live and
organize themselves socially and politically. It may be remembered that the territory of the state
includes land, water and air – space.

 The modern states differ in their sizes. Territory is necessary for citizenship. As in the case of
population, no definite size with regard to extent of area of the state can be fixed. There are small
and big states.

 In the words of Prof. Elliott “territorial sovereignty or the Superiority of state overall within its
boundaries and complete freedom from external control has been a fundamental principle of the
modern state life”.India has an area of 32,87,263 sq. km. Approximately India occupies 2.4% of
the global area.

Government :Government is the third element of the state. There can be no state without
government. Government is the working agency of the state. It is the political organization of the
state.

 Prof. Appadoraidefined government as the agencythrough which the will of the State is
formulated, expressed and realized.

 According to C.F. Strong, in order to make and enforce laws the state must have supreme
authority. This is called the government.

Sovereignty :The fourth essential element of the state is sovereignty.

The word ‘sovereignty” means supreme and final legal authority above and beyond which no
legal power exists.The concept of “sovereignty” was developed in conjunction with the rise of
the modern state. The term Sovereignty is derived from the Latin word superanus which means
supreme. the father of modern theory of sovereignty was Jean Bodin (1530 – 1597) a French
political thinker.

Sovereignty has two aspects :

1)    Internal sovereignty

2)    External sovereignty

Internal sovereignty means that the State is supreme over all its citizens, and associations.

External sovereignty means that the state is independent and free from foreign or outside control.

 According to Harold J. Laski, “It is by possession of sovereignty that the state is distinguished
from all otherforms of human association.

Conclusion-
Thus, to sum up, we can define State as a society of people, politically organized within a
definite territory, having its own government with coercive power to enforce obedience and
which is free from external control. Population, fixed territory, government and sovereignty are
the four essential attributes of State, and in the event of absence of any one of these four
attributes, the State cannot exist.

POLITICALPARTIESAND PRESSURE GROUPS

Meaning of a Political Party

A political party is generally described as an organized body of people who share common
principles and cherish certain common goals regarding the political
system.Apoliticalpartyoperatesandseekspoliticalpowerthroughconstitutional means to translate its
policies into practice. It is a body of like-minded people having similar views on matters of
public concern. Gilchrist defines a political party as “an organized group of citizens who profess
or share the same political views and who by acting as a political unit,try to control the
government”. Another definition given by Gettell is: “a political party consists of a group of
citizens, more or less organized, who act as a political unit and who, by the use
oftheirvotingpower,aimtocontrolthegovernmentandcarryouttheirgeneral policies”. From these
definitions it is clear that political parties are organized bodies and are primarily concerned with
the acquisition and retention of power.

Characteristics

From the above mentioned definitions of political parties, following can be identified as their
main characteristics:
z a political party is an organized group of people;

z its objectives revolve around seeking political power through collective efforts;

z it employs constitutional and peaceful methods in seeking control over the government
through elections;and

z while in power, it translates its declared objectives into governmental policies.

Political Parties;Function& Role
Nz they nominate candidates during elections;

z they campaign to obtain support for their candidates in the elections;

z they place objectives and programmes before the voters through their manifestos;

z those securing them majority in elections form the government and enact and implement the
policies;

z Those notin power form opposition and keep a constant check on the government;

z they form opposition when they are in minority in the legislature and constantly put pressure
on the government for proper governance;

z they educate people and help informulating and shaping public opinion;
z they articulate peoples’ demands and convey them to the government ;and
z they provide a linkage between people and governmental institutions

In India political parties have been performing the above-mentioned functions

quiteeffectivelysinceindependence.Theyhavemaderepresentativegovernments in India both
possible and successful for over past six decades. They provide effective links between the
citizens and the governments on the one hand, and
theelectoratesandtheirrepresentativesontheother.Theytrytocatertopeople’s
demandsonpublicmatters,and mobilize political participation.Elections without parties would
have almost been impossible.Infact,democracy needs strong and sustainable political parties with
the capacity to represent citizens and provide
policychoicesthatdemonstratetheirabilitytogovernforthepublicgood.

Th eexperience of functioning of political parties in India during the last six decades indicates that
by and large they have been instrumental in shaping public opinion, creating political
awareness,and imparting political education to the people .They
successfullyformthegovernmentswheretheyreceivethemandateofthepeople and implement their
 respective policies and programmes both at the Centre and intheStates.They have contributed
towards making the institutions and processes of government truly democratic. We
can,therefore,say that democracy in India has been strengthened by a competitive and multi-
partysystem.

Dominant Features of India’sPartySystem

In view of the above,the party system in India displays the following major characteristics:

z India has a multi-party system with a large number of political parties competing to attain
power at the Centre as well as in the States.
z the contemporary party system in India has witnessed the emergence of a bi-nodal party
system existing at both national and state/region levels. The bi-nodal tendencies operating at
two poles are led by the Congress and the BJP both at the center and in the states.

z political parties are not hegemonic but competitive, though many a time we see a particular
party aligning with one national political party and then shifting to another on the eve of
general elections.

z the regional political parties have come to play a vital role in the formation of governments
at the Centre.At the Centre,these regional parties support one national political party or the
other and seek substantive favours , ministerial berths at the Centre and other financial
package for their respective States.

z electionisnowfoughtnotamongpartiesbutcoalitionofparties.Nature
ofcompetition,allianceandplayersisvariedfromstatetostate.

z coalitionalpoliticshasbeenanewfeatureofourpartysystem.Wehave
reachedasituationwherethereisnosinglepartygovernment,exceptinsome oftheStates.
Thereare,asyoucanseearound,neitherpermanentruling partiesnorpermanentoppositionparties.

z asaresultofcoalitionalpolitics,ideologiesofthepoliticalpartieshavetaken
abackseat.AdministrationisrunthroughCommonMinimumProgramme,
whichreflectsthatpragmatismhasbecomethe‘rulingmantra’.Wehaveseen
politicalsituationswheretheTeluguDesamPartysupportedtheBJP led NDA
 in1999andCPI(M)backedtheCongressledUPA in2004without
formallyjoiningthegovernment.

z partiesarekeenonfocusingonthesingleemotiveissue/stogarnervotes.

z partiesnowlookforshorttermelectoralgainsratherthanbuildlastingsocial coalitions

TYPE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

Iii

Political parties in India are classified by the Election Commission for the
allocationofsymbols.TheCommissionclassifiespartiesintothreemainheads:
NationalParties,StateParties,andRegistered(unrecognized)Parties.

The ElectionCommission grants politicalparties the status of nationalparties onthreegrounds:

1. Itshouldbearecognizedpoliticalpartyinfourormorestates.

2. It should have won at least 4 per cent of the seats in the last LokSabha
electionsor3.33percentoftheseatsintheassemblyelectionsfromthestate.

3. Allthecandidatesputbythepartyshouldhavepolledatleast6percent
ofthetotalvalidvotesintheelections.

A. TheNationalPoliticalPartieshaveareasofinfluenceextendingoverthe entire country. Since the

last general elections held in 2009 the recognized
nationalpoliticalpartiesinIndiaare:theIndianNationalCongress(INC),the
NationalistCongressParty(NCP), theBharatiyaJanataParty(BJP), the Communist Party of
India (CPI), the Communist Party of India, Marxists (CPI-
M),theBahujanSamajParty(BSP),andtheRashtriyaJanataDal(RJD).
B. TheRegionalPoliticalParties,asrecognizedbytheElectionCommission, are those political
parties which receive a certain amount of votes or seats
inaState.TheElectionCommissiongrantselectionsymbolstothepolitical
partiesandthecandidateswhocontestelections. Thenumberofregional political parties in the
country is fairly large. Some of the leading regional
 politicalpartiesinIndiaincludeTrinamoolCongress(WestBengal),Assam
GanaParishad(Assam),AllIndiaAnnaDravidaMunnetraKazhagam(Tamil Nadu)
DravidaMunnetraKazhagam (Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry), National Conference(Jammuand
Kashmir), SamajwadiParty (Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand), ShiromaniAkaliDal (Punjab), Shiv
Sena (Maharashtra), Telugu Desam (Andhra Pradesh).

PressureGroups:RoleandTechniques
A pressure group is an interest group which exerts pressure on
the government or the decision-makers for the fulfillment of the
interests of its members.Pressure groups aredifferentfrom
interestgroups in thesense that the interest groups may exist
without even exerting influenceon the governmentorthedecision-
makers.Butunlessagroupexertssuchpressure to influence or
pressurize the authorities in order to achieve the desired
objects,itmaynotbecalledapressuregroup.

2. (a) Pressuregroupsarenotprimarilypoliticalinnature.Forexample,
although RashtriyaSwayamakSangh supports the
BharatiyaJanata Party, itis, by and large, a
culturalorganization.Politicalpartiesare
basicallypoliticalinnatureandorientation.

(b)

Pressuregroupsdonotcontestelections;theyonlysupportpolit
ical parties of their choice. Political parties nominate
candidates, contest
elections,andparticipateinelectionscampaigns.

3. Pressuregroupsplayavitalroleinthedemocraticfunctioningofapolity.
Theyhelppromote,discuss, debateand mobilizepublicopinionon
major publicissues.
Threewaysusedbypressuregroupsare:appeals,petitions
anddemonstrations.Forinstance,theSelf-
EmployedWomen’sAssociation
(SEWA)hasinfluencedthegovernmenttoimproveitspoliciesontheri
ghts of women workers. MazdoorKisan Shakti Sangathan led the
people’s
 movementwhichforcedthegovernmenttobringaboutthelawon‘Rig
ht toInformation’.

Inthedemocraticfunctioningofapolity,pressuregroupsplayavitalrole.They seek to promote,

discuss, debate and mobilize public opinion on major public
issues.Inthisprocess,theyeducatepeopleandwidentheirvision,enhancetheir
democraticparticipationandraiseandarticulatevariousissues. Thesegroups
trytobringchangesinpublicpolicy.

To achievetheirobjectivesand goals, thepressure groups employvarious techniquesandmethods.

Theseincludeappeals,petitions,demonstrations, picketing,lobbying,andprocessions.
Theyalsowriteinthemedia,distribute
pamphlets,issuepressreleases,organizediscussionsanddebates,putupposters and chant
slogans.They may carry out satyagraha, that is, a non-violent protest. At times, pressure groups
resort to strikesin order to pressurize the legislators, the executive officials, the decision-makers.
Often, they resort to boycott. Have
younotseenlawyers,sometimesboycottingthecourts,theteachers,theirclasses? The pressure groups
resort to such activities to influence governmental policies.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRESSURE GROUP & POLITICAL PARTY

z Pressure groups are not primarily political in nature.For example,although Rashtriya

Swayamak Sangh (RSS) supports the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is,
byandlarge,aculturalorganization.Thepoliticalpartiesarebasicallypolitical.

z Pressure groups do not seek direct power; they only influence those who are in power for
moulding decisions in their favour.The political parties seek power to form the government.

z Pressure groups do not contest elections; they only support political parties
oftheirchoice.Politicalpartiesnominatecandidates,contestelections,and
participateinelectioncampaigns.

z Pressuregroupsdonotnecessarilyhavepoliticalideologies.Politicalparties are always wedded

to their ideologies. For example, the Congress party is wedded to the ideologies of
socialism, secularism and democracy; the Communists advocatethe interestsof workers,
peasants and other weaker sections.
Sovereignity

Meaning:
The term “Sovereignty” has been derived from the Latin word “Superanus” which means
supreme or paramount. Although the term “Sovereignty” is modern yet the idea of “Sovereignty”
goes back to Aristotle who spoke of the “supreme power of the state”. Throughout the middle
Ages the Roman jurists and the civilians kept this idea in their mind and frequently employed the
terms “Summa” potestas and “Plenitudopotestatis” to designate the supreme power of the state.

The terms “Sovereign” and “Sovereignty” were first used by the French jurists in the fifteenth
century and later they found their way into English, Italian and German political literature. The
use of the term “Sovereignty” in Political Science dates back to the publication of Bodin’s “The
Republic” in 1576.

“The word sovereign”, says J.S. Roucek and others, “entered the vocabulary of political theory
from the feudal order, wherein it designated a relationship between persons. The term sovereign
had been applicable to any feudal overlord with authority over subjects in his own dominions”.

Two Aspects of Sovereignty:

There are two aspects of sovereignty: internal sovereignty and external sovereignty. Internal
Sovereignty means some persons, assembly of group of persons in every independent state have
the final legal authority to command and enforce obedience.

This sovereignty exercises its absolute authority over all individuals or associations of the
individuals within the state. Professor Harold Laski has very aptly remarked in this connection:
“It issues orders to all men and all associations within that area; it receives orders from none of
them. It will is subject to no legal limitation of any kind. What it proposes is right by mere
announcement of intention”.

We mean, by External Sovereignty, that the State is subject to no other authority and is
independent of any compulsion on the part of other States. Every independent state reserves the
authority to renounce trade treaties and to enter into military agreements. Each estate is
independent of other states.

Every independent State is at liberty to determine its foreign policy and to join any bloc of power
it likes. Any other state does not reserve any right to interfere with the external matter of an
independent state. Thus, by external sovereignty we mean that every state is independent of other
states.

In other words, External Sovereignty means national freedom. Professor Laski has very correctly
observed in this regard, “The modern state is a sovereign state. It is, therefore, independent in the
face of other communities.

It may infuse its will towards them with a substance which need not be affected by the will of
any external power”. This statement of Professor Laski makes it very clear that the State
possesses both external and internal sovereignty.

Definitions of Sovereignty:
(1) “That characteristic of the state by virtue of which it cannot be legally bound except by its
own or limited by any power other than itself. -Jellineck

(2) “Sovereignty is the sovereign political power vested in him whose acts are not subject to any
other and whose will cannot be over-ridden”. -Grotius

(3) “Sovereignty is the supreme power of the State over citizens and subjects unrestrained by
law”. -Bodin

(4) Sovereignty is “the common power of the state, it is the will of the nation organised in the
state, it is right to give unconditional orders to all individuals in the territory of state”. -Duguit
(Droit Constitutional Vol. 1, page 113)

(5) Burgess characterised sovereign is the “Original, absolute, unlimited power over the
individual subjects and over all associations of subjects”.
(6) “Sovereignty is that power which is neither temporary nor delegated, nor subject to particular
rules which it cannot alter, not answerable to any other power over earth”. -Pollock

(7) “Sovereignty is the supreme will of the state”. -Willoughby

(8) “Sovereignty is the daily operative power of framing and giving efficacy to the laws”.
-Woodrow Wilson

(9) Sovereignty is “the supreme, irresistible, absolute, uncontrolled authority in which the ‘jurist
summiimperi’ reside”. -Blackstone

(10) The sovereignty is “legally supreme over an individual or group, says Laski, he possesses
“supreme coercive power”.

After closely studying and carefully examining the definitions of sovereignty, given above, we
arrive at the conclusion that sovereignty is the supreme political power of the state. It has two
aspects: internal and external. Sovereignty is an unlimited power and it is not subject to any other
authority.

Characteristics or Attributes of Sovereignty:

According to Dr. Garner, following are the characteristics or attributes of Sovereignty:

(1) Permanence.

(2) Exclusiveness.

(3) All-Comprehensiveness.

(4) Inalienability.

(5) Unity.

(6) Imprescriptibility.

(7) Indivisibility.
(8) Absoluteness or illimitability.

(9) Originality.

1. Permanence

Permanence is the chief characteristics of sovereignty. Sovereignty lasts as long as an

independent state lasts. The death of the king, the overthrow of the government and the addiction
of power does not lead to the destruction of sovereignty.

We should keep in mind the basic fact that the king or the ruler exercises sovereign power on
behalf of the state and, therefore, sovereignty lasts as long as the state lasts. The death of the king
or the overthrow of the government does not affect sovereignty. This is the reason why people in
England used to say “The King is dead, long live the King”.

Dr. Garner has beautifully summed up this idea in the following manner:

“Sovereignty does not cease with the death or temporary dispossession of a particular bearer or
the re-organisation of the state but shifts immediately to a new bearer, as the centre of gravity
shifts from one part of physical body to another when it undergoes external change”.

2. Exclusiveness

By exclusiveness we mean that there can be two sovereigns, in one independent state and if the
two sovereigns exist in a state, the unity of that state will be destroyed. There cannot exist
another sovereign slate within the existing sovereign state.

(3) All Comprehensiveness:

The State is all comprehensive and the sovereign power is universally applicable. Every
individual and every association of individual is subject to the sovereignty of the state. No
association or group of individuals, however, rich or powerful it may be, can resist or disobey the
sovereign authority.
Sovereignty makes no exception and grants no exemption to anyone. It grants exemptions only
in the case of foreign embassies and diplomatic representatives of foreign countries on the
reciprocal basis. This does not in any way restrict the sovereignty of the state in the legal sense.
The state can abolish and withdraw the diplomatic privileges granted to foreigners.

(4) Inalienability:
Inalienability is another characteristic of sovereignty. Sovereignty is inalienable. By
inalienability we mean that the State cannot part with its sovereignty. In other words, we can say
that the sovereign does not remain the sovereign or the sovereign state, if he or the state transfers
his or its sovereignty to any other person or any other state.

Sovereignty is the life and soul of the state and it cannot be alienated without destroying the state
itself. Lieber has very aptly remarked in this connection: “Sovereignty can no more be alienated
than a tree can alienate its right to sprout or a man can transfer his life or personality to another
without self-destruction”.

(5) Unity:

Unity is the very spirit of Sovereignty. The sovereign state is united just as we are united.

(6) Imperscriptibility:
By imprescriptibility, we mean that if the sovereign does not exercise his sovereignty for a
certain period of time, it does not lead to the destruction of sovereignty. It lasts as long as the
state lasts.

(7) Indivisibility:
Indivisibility is the life-blood of sovereignty. Sovereignty cannot be divided state, American
statesman Calhoun has declared, “Sovereignty is an entire thing; to divide it is to destroy it. It is
the supreme power in a state and we might just well divide it is to destroy it.

It is the supreme power in a state and we might just well speak of half square or half a triangle as
half a sovereignty”. Gettell, has also very aptly remarked in this regard, “If sovereignty is not
absolute, no state exists. If sovereignty is divided, more than one state exists”.
(8) Absoluteness:
Sovereignty is absolute and unlimited. The sovereign is entitled to do whatsoever he likes.
Sovereignty is subject to none.

(9) Originality:
By originality we mean that the sovereign wields power by virtue of his own right and not by
virtue of anybody’s mercy.

Conclusion -

Thus we conclude that Sovereignty is the most important element of a State. Without this
element, no state is complete. We cannot imagine a state without Sovereignity. It is the supreme
power of the state. A country is not considered a State unless it is Sovereign, even if the other
elements i.e. population, territory and government are present. Thus, without Sovereignity, there
can be no state.
References

1. O.P. Gauba, An introduction to political Theory (New delhi: Macmillan)

2. J.C. Johri, Principles of Political Science
3. Principles Of Political Science; A C KAPUR
4. Indian Government And Politics;Hoveyda Abbas
5. Introduction To Political Theory;JOHN HOFFMAN & PAUL GRAHAM
6. B,A LLB hangout notes
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