Who among the following provided the detailed work on sovereignty?

Analyze the question: It asks who gave the detailed (first systematic) treatment of the concept of sovereignty, a key topic in Government (Political Science) under "State and Sovereignty."

Explain the concept: Sovereignty is the supreme, absolute and ultimate authority of a state to make and enforce laws within its territory, free from external control.

Evaluate the options:

• A. Jean Bodin: A 16th-century French political philosopher. In his book Six Livres de la République (Six Books of the Commonwealth, 1576), he gave the first detailed and systematic analysis of sovereignty. He described it as the absolute and perpetual power of a commonwealth. He is widely regarded as the father of the modern theory of sovereignty.
• B. Friedrich Engels: A co-founder of Marxism, known for his work on class struggle, the origin of the family, private property and the state. He is not known for the theory of sovereignty.
• C. Bolaji Akinyemi: A Nigerian scholar and former Minister of External Affairs, known for foreign policy ideas such as the "Technical Aid Corps" and the "Concert of Medium Powers." He did not write on sovereignty theory.
• D. Thomas Hobbes: In Leviathan (1651), he argued for an absolute sovereign, and he did contribute to the theory. However, the foundational and detailed work on sovereignty is credited to Bodin, whom Hobbes came after.

Answer: Jean Bodin, which is option A.

Exam tip: Link the names to ideas:

• Bodin → Sovereignty (the original, detailed theory)
• Hobbes → Social contract and absolute monarchy (Leviathan)
• Austin → Legal sovereignty (the command theory)
• Engels/Marx → Class struggle and communism
• Rousseau → General will

Remember "Bodin = Born the idea of sovereignty" and you will not miss this one.