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The Elements of Sovereignty in Francisco de Vitoria’s Political Thought

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Empire, Humanism and Rights

Part of the book series: Studies in the History of Law and Justice ((SHLJ,volume 21))

Abstract

This chapter outlines the concept of sovereignty in Francisco de Vitoria’s theological discourse. His thoughts on the matter emerge within the context of a growing imperial ethos spearheaded by both Emperor and Pope in their claims over the communities of the New World in the sixteenth century. As against the postulates set forth by both royal and ecclesiastical power, Vitoria’s lectures drew out a framework that served to establish the sovereign status of those communities on theological and juridical grounds. This brief overview addresses Vitoria’s line of reasoning in this respect and argues that his lectures on civil power, the laws of war and the Indies established an iusnaturalistic conception of sovereignty, which placed significant limits on empire and the use of force among states and communities.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For an overview of Reason of State in Spanish thought, see Fernández Santamaría (1980), pp. 355–379.

  2. 2.

    On the renovation of Catholic theology and the School of Salamanca, see Belda Plans (2000), Valenzuela-Vermehren (2013), pp. 99–125.

  3. 3.

    Dandelet (2014), p. 7.

  4. 4.

    Ibid., 8.

  5. 5.

    Pagden (1995), p. 11.

  6. 6.

    Dandelet (2014), p. 82.

  7. 7.

    Guicciardini (1857), p. 388, cited in Dandelet (2014), p. 74.

  8. 8.

    Haslam (2002), p. 31.

  9. 9.

    Ibid., 33.

  10. 10.

    Ibid., 40.

  11. 11.

    Ibid.

  12. 12.

    Ibid., 28.

  13. 13.

    Dandelet (2014), p. 86.

  14. 14.

    Lucena (1984), p. 163.

  15. 15.

    Ibid., 164. A compendium of Spanish-language texts on the ethical questions surrounding the Spanish conquest may be found in Pereña Vicente (1984).

  16. 16.

    Jackson (2007), p. 10.

  17. 17.

    Ibid., xi.

  18. 18.

    On this question, see, for example, Scott (1934).

  19. 19.

    Cited in Nys (1917), pp. 98–99.

  20. 20.

    For an interesting account of the Spanish writings and manuscripts centering on law and justice, see Folgado (1959), pp. 275–302.

  21. 21.

    Skinner (1980), p. 148.

  22. 22.

    Ibid.

  23. 23.

    Sánchez Agesta (1959), p. 15.

  24. 24.

    Brufau Prats (1957), p. 98.

  25. 25.

    Ibid., 112.

  26. 26.

    Ibid., 110.

  27. 27.

    See, for example, Aquinas’s discussion in his Summary of Theology (II-II, Q. 66, a.1).

  28. 28.

    Brett (1997), p. 129.

  29. 29.

    Naszalyi (1948), p. 78.

  30. 30.

    Brufau Prats (1957), p. 125.

  31. 31.

    Ibid.

  32. 32.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 7.

  33. 33.

    Barker (1951), p. xlix.

  34. 34.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), pp. 8–9.

  35. 35.

    Ibid., 9.

  36. 36.

    Sánchez Agesta (1959), p. 39.

  37. 37.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 18.

  38. 38.

    One alternative view may be found in Osiander (2001).

  39. 39.

    Sánchez Agesta (1959), p. 72.

  40. 40.

    Ibid.

  41. 41.

    Cited in ibid., 73.

  42. 42.

    Ibid., 73–74.

  43. 43.

    For a summary of this in Domingo de Soto, Martín de Azpilcueta, Gregorio López, Diego de Covarrubias, Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda, Fernando Vásquez de Menchaca, see ibid., 72–111.

  44. 44.

    Vitoria cited in Naszalyi (1948), pp. 134–1-35.

  45. 45.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 301.

  46. 46.

    Ibid., 107.

  47. 47.

    Ibid., 300.

  48. 48.

    Ibid., 94.

  49. 49.

    Pagden (1995), p. 94.

  50. 50.

    Naszalyi (1948), pp. 51–52.

  51. 51.

    Sánchez Agesta (1959), pp. 24–26.

  52. 52.

    A similar view is held by Fernández who emphasizes the “pyramidal” structure of the Vitorian system consisting, in this respect, of the individual and family, the state and society of mankind, all of which pertain to the ‘secular order’ of man. See Fernández Santamaría (1977), p. 100.

  53. 53.

    For a detailed examination of Vitoria’s line of reasoning, see Valenzuela-Vermehren (2013).

  54. 54.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 40.

  55. 55.

    Sepúlveda, J. G. d. (1544). Democrates Alter: Or, on the Just Causes for War against the Indians. http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ets/CCREAD/sepulved.htm. Accessed 27 March 2019.

  56. 56.

    Aquinas (ST I-II, 1-2).

  57. 57.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 249.

  58. 58.

    Ibid. It remains uncertain whether the English-language translation of “dominium est ius” as “dominion is a legal right” is entirely proper, if by this we are to deem the term “legal” as a positivist view of rights. The Spanish-language translation establishes, by contrast, that “el dominio es un derecho”, i.e. dominion is a right. On this, see Pereña (1967), p. 26. It is nonetheless clear that Vitoria is not referring to rights granted by positive law, but rather of rights and dominion as a natural attribute of rational creatures.

  59. 59.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 249.

  60. 60.

    Ibid., 251.

  61. 61.

    Ibid. In a passage preceding this one, Vitoria interestingly makes the following observation in respect of his own countrymen: “Thus if they [the Indians] seem too insensate and slow-witted, I put it down mainly to their [...] barbarous education. Even amongst ourselves we see many peasants who are little different from brute animals.” Ibid., 250.

  62. 62.

    Ibid., 251.

  63. 63.

    Ibid., 250.

  64. 64.

    Ibid., 250-51.

  65. 65.

    Urdánoz (1967).

  66. 66.

    Cited in Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 240.

  67. 67.

    Ibid.

  68. 68.

    Cited in Tuck (1999), p. 123.

  69. 69.

    Munro (1931), p. 330.

  70. 70.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 242.

  71. 71.

    Ibid.

  72. 72.

    Ibid., 243.

  73. 73.

    Carro (1947), p. 116.

  74. 74.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 243.

  75. 75.

    Indeed, Vitoria was pointing to the following passage in Aquinas’ Summary of Theology: “[…] we must observe that dominion and authority [in a political or legal sense, but not in its natural meaning] are institutions of human law, while the distinction between faithful and unbelievers arises from the Divine law. Now the Divine law which is the law of grace, does not do away with human law which is the law of natural reason. Wherefore the distinction between faithful and unbelievers, considered in itself, does not do away with dominion and authority of unbelievers over the faithful.”

  76. 76.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 244. The Spanish language version of De Indis includes an additional passage which holds “Furthermore, more grave than the sin of infidelity is hate of God; and nonetheless hate does not prevent one from being a true master; ergo, neither does infidelity.” The translation is mine. See Pereña (1967), p. 20.

  77. 77.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 244.

  78. 78.

    Urdánoz (1967), p. LXXXII.

  79. 79.

    Wight (1992), pp. 83–84.

  80. 80.

    Urdánoz (1967), p. LXXXIV.

  81. 81.

    Parry and Keith (1984), pp. 288–290.

  82. 82.

    Pagden and Lawrence (1991), p. 253.

  83. 83.

    Ibid., 254.

  84. 84.

    Ibid.

  85. 85.

    Ibid.

  86. 86.

    Ibid., 31–32.

  87. 87.

    Ibid., 254–255.

  88. 88.

    Ibid., 256.

  89. 89.

    Ibid., 258.

  90. 90.

    Ibid., 259.

  91. 91.

    Ibid., 259.

  92. 92.

    Ibid., 260.

  93. 93.

    Ibid., 261.

  94. 94.

    Ibid., 261–262.

  95. 95.

    Ibid., 261.

  96. 96.

    Truyol y Serra (1993), p. 24.

  97. 97.

    Brierly (1938), p. 75.

  98. 98.

    Hinsley (1966), p. 26. Cited in Jackson (2005), p. 75.

  99. 99.

    Jackson (2005).

  100. 100.

    Wight (1966), p. 103.

  101. 101.

    Bull (1984), p. 123.

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  1. Department of Sociology, Political Science and Public Administration, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco, Chile

    Luis Valenzuela-Vermehren

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  1. Institute for European Studies, San Pablo-CEU University, Madrid, Spain

    José María Beneyto

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Valenzuela-Vermehren, L. (2022). The Elements of Sovereignty in Francisco de Vitoria’s Political Thought. In: Beneyto, J.M. (eds) Empire, Humanism and Rights. Studies in the History of Law and Justice, vol 21. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82487-7_4

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