Many people take pride in singing their national anthems. Indeed that was the case of the Trinbagonians who attended the World Cup in Germany in 2006.

We were all proud to say we were nationals of Trinidad and Tobago and many of us will defend our countries to others very strongly despite the problems we have. Trinidad and Tobago is a sovereign nation. National anthems reflect countries’ sovereignty.

The Church recognises “the importance of national sovereignty, understood above all as an expression of the freedom that must govern relations between States.”

Black’s Law Dictionary gives a very clear explanation of sovereignty which highlights that politicians and citizens alike guard it fiercely. It defines sovereignty as “the supreme, absolute, and uncontrollable power by which any independent state is governed; supreme political authority; the supreme will; paramount control of the constitution and frame of government and its administration; the self-sufficient source of political power, from which all specific political powers are derived; the international independence of a state, combined with the right and power of regulating its internal affairs without foreign dictation; also a political society, or state, which is sovereign and independent.”

 It gives “The power to do everything in a state without accountability, --to make laws, to execute and to apply them, to impose and collect taxes and levy contributions, to make war or peace, to form treaties of alliance or of commerce with foreign nations, and the like.”

“Sovereignty represents the subjectivity of a nation, in the political, economic, social and even cultural sense. The cultural dimension takes on particular importance as a source of strength in resisting acts of aggression or forms of domination that have repercussions on a country's freedom. Culture constitutes the guarantee for the preservation of the identity of a people and expresses and promotes its spiritual sovereignty.”

“National sovereignty is not, however, absolute.” Sovereignty being less absolute is becoming more and more apparent in the world today. The fact that we are a family of nations is becoming very clear, with talks and actual attempts of regionalisation taking place globally.

 Even on an individual level, there are movements that make the whole issue of allegiance to a particular country very complicated. Many nationals of Trinidad and Tobago have parents from other countries and have a close affinity to these countries. Further, many Trinidadians and Tobagonians live and work in other countries and have close ties there and in fact some of their children are not born in Trinidad and Tobago, but in their new home. 

Further, with globalisation there is a weakening of traditional sovereignty. In addition to economic interdependence (trade, finance and investments) there are educational, technological, ideological, cultural, as well as ecological, environmental, legal, military, strategic and political impulses that are rapidly propagated throughout the world.

Money and goods, images and people, sports and religions, guns and drugs, diseases and pollution can now be moved quickly across international frontiers’. Sovereign or not, countries are forced to collaborate and work together.

Countries in some instances are forced to give up some of their rights with a view to achieving a common goal. This however will always remain a challenge as was evidenced in the recently concluded Climate Change conference held in Bali, where individual countries were asked to take specific action to address the issue of climate change – it was met with some resistance.

What has to happen is that nations must“freely renounce the exercise of some of their rights in view of a common goal, in the awareness that they form a ‘family of nations’ where mutual trust, support and respect must prevail.

In this perspective, special attention should be given to the fact that there is still no international agreement that adequately addresses ‘the rights of nations’, the preparation of which could profitably deal with questions concerning justice and freedom in today's world.”

What is clear is that sovereign as we are it carries responsibility. That is, if you take your life in your own hands you also take upon yourself to act responsibly and with integrity in regards to your own life, your family, your community, your fellow human beings and the planet as a whole. 

Next week we move to Chapter 9:II b. Relations based on harmony between the juridical and moral orders. 

Persons interested in purchasing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, can contact the Justice Desk, Archbishop’s House – 622-6680. Also on sale at the Justice Desk are the Take a Bite Social Justice Programme on DVD and Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching.