The paper analyzes the ideas of the Austrian lawyer Hans Kelsen on therelationship between international and national law and sovereignty. Kelsens’ views arepresented in close logical connection with his vision on coup d’etat and revolutions. It isstated that the coup d’etat cannot automatically be regarded as an illegitimate way toestablish the government in terms of international law. It is indicated in the paper thatKelsens’ vision on coup d’etat was later expanded with the idea of the democracy of newinstalled government. The features of a democratic government are distinguished.