Bodin’s Theory of Sovereignty and Its Updating
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Abstract
I explore Jean Bodin’s theory of sovereignty, focusing on its eschatological dimension and departure from Machiavellian teleology. The analysis highlights how Bodin’s concept of absolute power requires the embodiment of a link between God, nature, and the people within the sovereign. This connection is essential for maintaining political and social order, as it aligns with divine law and emphasizes the correlation between law, justice, truth, beauty, and the Spirit. Ultimately, drawing parallels with Plato’s philosopher-king, the paper questions the relevance of Bodin’s ideas in contemporary society, particularly in the context of potential rifts between elites and the people, and the erosion of traditional values.
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non–Commercial No Derivatives License which permits noncommercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of the Publisher must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
