popular sovereignty
noun
1
: a doctrine in political theory that government is created by and subject to the will of the people
2
: a pre-Civil War doctrine asserting the right of the people living in a newly organized territory to decide by vote of their territorial legislature whether or not slavery would be permitted there
Examples of popular sovereignty in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a democracy, the key principle of legitimacy is not libertarian theories of rights but rather popular sovereignty.
—
Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
In many parts of the world, the radical belief in popular sovereignty undid the hold of the notion of the divine right of kings, just as expanding commerce created a wealthy merchant class eager for greater political say.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
The ideals of the French Revolution and its emphasis on popular sovereignty disseminated quickly.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The revolutions produced a set of political systems that balanced the privileges of property-owning elites, professional groups, and the church with broad popular sovereignty and individual rights—a balance that characterizes many political revolutions to this day.
Loading...
—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for popular sovereignty
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
In many parts of the world, the radical belief in popular sovereignty undid the hold of the notion of the divine right of kings, just as expanding commerce created a wealthy merchant class eager for greater political say.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
The ideals of the French Revolution and its emphasis on popular sovereignty disseminated quickly.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The revolutions produced a set of political systems that balanced the privileges of property-owning elites, professional groups, and the church with broad popular sovereignty and individual rights—a balance that characterizes many political revolutions to this day.
Loading...
—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for popular sovereignty
Cite this Entry
“Popular sovereignty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popular%20sovereignty. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share