This short theoretical essay contributes to the ongoing deliberation about the so-called digital sovereignty, as pursued particularly in the European Union (EU). Drawing from classical political science literature, the essay approaches the debate through paradoxes that arise from applying classical notions of sovereignty to the digital domain. With these paradoxes and a focus on the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the essay develops a viewpoint distinct from the conventional territorial notion of sovereignty. Accordingly, the lesson from Westphalia has more to do with the capacity of a state to govern. It is also this capacity that is argued to enable the sovereignty of individuals within the digital realm. With this viewpoint, the essay further advances another, broader, and more pressing debate on politics and democracy in the digital era.

翻译：这份简短的理论论文有助于目前正在进行的关于所谓数字主权的讨论,特别是在欧洲联盟(欧盟)内。根据古典政治科学文献,论文通过在数字领域应用古典主权概念所产生的悖论来对待辩论。这些悖论和1648年对威斯特伐利亚和平的关注,形成了不同于传统领土主权概念的观点。因此,威斯特伐利亚的教训更多地与国家的治理能力有关。同样,正是这种能力使得个人能够在数字领域享有主权。有了这种观点,论文就进一步推进了有关数字时代政治和民主的又一个更广泛和更紧迫的辩论。