Unpopular sovereignty?

Somek, Alexander and Wilkinson, Michael A. ORCID: 0000-0003-1544-1821 (2020) Unpopular sovereignty? Modern Law Review, 83 (5). 955 - 978. ISSN 0026-7961

Text (Unpopular Sovereignty) - Accepted Version Download (351kB)

• Scopus publication
• Author

Abstract

Popular sovereignty was presented in modern constitutional discourse as a mode of collective action. It was supposedly manifest in the power to constitute, control and dismantle governments. Important strands of contemporary constitutional theory, notably legal constitutionalism and deliberative democracy, have taken leave of this tradition. They have severed the connection between sovereignty and action. What remains of popular sovereignty is fundamental rights and values, or dispersed networks of deliberation. This is based on the the idea that the place of power is ‘empty’ and legitimised on the principle of including ‘All-Affected-Interests’. The very concept of sovereignty thus becomes unpopular. This contribution aims to re-establish the link between popular sovereignty and action by examining sovereignty's emancipatory telos, its majoritarian mode of operation and its dependence on political citizenship.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14682230
Additional Information:	© 2020 The Authors
Divisions:	Law
Subjects:	K Law > K Law (General)
Date Deposited:	01 Apr 2020 15:24
Last Modified:	16 Apr 2024 22:39
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/103916

Actions (login required)

View Item