Sovereignty refers to the supreme power and authority of a state over its own affairs. It means that a state has the final and absolute authority to make and enforce laws within its territory (internal sovereignty) and to conduct its relations with other states without being subject to the control of any external power (external sovereignty).
This concept is central to the definition of a modern state. Internal sovereignty means the state has the highest authority over all individuals and institutions within its borders. External sovereignty means the state is independent and equal in status to other states in the international community, free from external interference in its domestic affairs.
The option referring to using force to enforce obedience describes coercion, which is only one instrument a sovereign state may use, not the definition of sovereignty itself. Negotiating with other states describes diplomacy, a function of sovereignty but not its meaning. Governing other nations describes imperialism or colonialism, which is the opposite of respecting other states' sovereignty.
