Sovereignty
Sovereign is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French souverain, which is ultimately derived from the Latin superānus, meaning 'above'.
3 episodes
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Sovereignty
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of the idea of sovereignty, from ancient Greece and Rome to wars in France in the 1500s, to Thomas Hobbes and the revolutionary era.
30 June 2016
Featuring: Melissa Lane, Richard Bourke, Tim Stanton
The Divine Right of Kings
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Divine Right of Kings. The idea that kingly authority derives from God alone bit deep into the culture of 17th century Britain.
11 October 2007
Featuring: Justin Champion, Thomas Healy, Clare Jackson
The Social Contract
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Social Contract. A key idea in political philosophy, it states that political authority is held through a contract with those to be ruled.
7 February 2008
Featuring: Melissa Lane, Susan James, Karen O'Brien