Published Paper Details:

Political discourse has always focused significantly on emergencies, so from ancient to the present, intellectuals have been preoccupied with the issue of how communities should respond to dangerous situations. Political theory offers us an explanation of how emergency powers have been used throughout history. From classical to modern times, thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Carl Schmitt, and Fredrick Watkins have examined the theoretical foundations and implications of emergency powers. We are at present grappling with a number of crises, including health, climate, and terrorist threats. In order to respond to these crises, we must restructure our political systems and establish new governmental functions and legal frameworks. This paper explores Hobbes' and Carl Schmitt's theoretical stances on emergency, paying particular attention to the crucial role that sovereignty played in both ideas, and explores how liberal democratic values accommodate emergency powers. Part one of this paper explores Hobbes and Schmitt's conceptualizations of emergency powers. Part two includes an analysis of their justifications for sovereign authority.