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Political Concepts

Popular Sovereignty

Also Known As Sovereignty of the People

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Popular sovereignty is the doctrine that ultimate political authority resides in the people themselves rather than in a monarch, an aristocracy, or any other ruling body, and that governments derive their legitimate powers from the people's collective will. Its most influential modern statement is Jean-Jacques Rousseau's account of the general will in The Social Contract (1762), where sovereignty is inalienable, indivisible, and can never be represented, only exercised directly by the citizen body.

Facts
Origin Year
1762 1
Founding Context
Developed from social contract theory, most influentially in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 1762 The Social Contract, which located ultimate political authority in the collective will of the people rather than in a monarch's divine right. 1
Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Consent of the Governed, Political Concepts

Both principles locate ultimate political authority in the people; consent of the governed supplies the individual level warrant, popular sovereignty the collective level doctrine.

Shura, Political Concepts
Source Shura (Wikipedia)
The Social Contract, Political Concepts

Rousseau's formulation of popular sovereignty is developed within, and is inseparable from, his social contract theory.

Source Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Held Differently

Majority Rule and Minority Rights, Political Concepts
Source Tyranny of the Majority (Wikipedia)

Founded By

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Political Figures

Rousseau's account of the general will in The Social Contract (1762) is the paradigmatic modern statement of popular sovereignty: sovereignty is inalienable and can never be represented, only exercised by the assembled citizen body.

Source Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Influenced By

Declaration of Independence, Documents
Source Declaration of Independence, 1776 (National Archives)
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, Documents
Source Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (Elysee)
The Social Contract, Documents
Source Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Part Of

Sovereignty, Political Concepts

Popular sovereignty locates sovereignty specifically in the people, a particular species within the broader concept of sovereignty.

Source Sovereignty (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Sources
1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy3. Political Philosophy
Quote, 3. Political Philosophy
The general will is the source of law and is willed by each and every citizen.
View the Source
1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFounded By: Jean-Jacques RousseauView the Source
1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyAssociated With: The Social ContractView the Source
1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyInfluenced By: The Social ContractView the Source
Sovereignty (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyPart Of: SovereigntyView the Source
Shura (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAssociated With: ShuraView the Source
Tyranny of the Majority (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAssociated With: Majority Rule and Minority RightsView the Source
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (Elysee)
Elysee (French Presidency)Influenced By: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the CitizenView the Source
Declaration of Independence, 1776 (National Archives)
U.S. National ArchivesInfluenced By: Declaration of IndependenceView the Source
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