Popular sovereignty is the principle that the authority of a state and its governments are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.
Unfortunately, many polities that can claim to have upheld the principle of
popular sovereignty to a much greater extent than Pakistan are also degenerating before our very eyes.
Douglas defended the concept of "
popular sovereignty," whereby the people who resided in western territories should have the right to decide if slavery would be allowed.
The claim of British radical movements that they have the right to participate in issues of high politics has roots in 17th-century theories of direct democracy or
popular sovereignty, says Hill.
When Buchanan became president, he was confronted with the question of slavery, the Dred Scott decision from the Supreme Court, and whether
popular sovereignty would determine if new states allowed slavery.
While today's challenges may cast doubt on the validity of America's tradition of
popular sovereignty, landmark statutes enacted as a result of the efforts of "We the People" have resulted in the expansion of voting rights, institution of fair housing laws, desegregation of schools, repeal of racial miscegenation laws, enactment of gay rights protections, and more.
The book centers on two premises: "First, that federalism and state sovereignty became near synonymous terms during the founding period" and second "that the idea of
popular sovereignty at the time of the founding was not tied to the broader notion of a national
popular sovereignty" (1).
He draws on competing factors such Americans' deep respect for
popular sovereignty and the country's growing interdependence with the world to explain how the US went from undermining the League of Nations to building the post-WWII liberal international order to refusing to ratify even the most unthreatening treaties today.
"We managed to revive the history of
popular sovereignty that had been initiated by the March 1 Independence Movement," he said.
Article 1 of the constitution states that sovereignty of the people or
popular sovereignty is the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of the people through their elected representatives who are the source of all political power.