In this seminal work on sovereignty, Lansing explores the meaning and significance of the concept from both a domestic and international perspective. Drawing on philosophy, history, and law, he argues that sovereignty is a fundamental principle of political organization, and that its preservation is essential for the wellbeing of the state and the world. A must-read for political scientists, historians, and philosophers alike. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.