popular sovereignty
3 synonyms and 2 antonyms for popular sovereignty, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The political principle that the authority of a government comes from the consent of the people it governs, and that the people are the ultimate source of power.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
rule by the people
consent of the governed
self-government
Antonyms
absolute monarchy
autocracy
How to use popular sovereignty
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
principle of popular sovereignty
doctrine of popular sovereignty
popular sovereignty and consent
Formal, used in politics, law and history teaching. Sense 2 appears almost exclusively in the context of 19th-century America.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between popular sovereignty and democracy?
Popular sovereignty is a principle about where authority comes from: the people. Democracy is the set of arrangements — elections, representation, voting — through which that principle is put into practice. A state can claim popular sovereignty in its constitution while failing to operate democratically.
What did popular sovereignty mean before the American Civil War?
It meant letting the settlers of each western territory vote on whether to allow slavery, instead of Congress imposing an answer. Presented as a compromise, it produced fierce and often violent contests, most notoriously in Kansas.
What is the difference between popular sovereignty and parliamentary sovereignty?
Popular sovereignty places ultimate authority with the people. Parliamentary sovereignty, the doctrine at the heart of the UK constitution, places it with parliament, which can make or unmake any law. The two can pull against each other, as referendum disputes show.
