Omar Bennett
The first constitutional democracy is a topic that is widely debated. The United States is often cited as the first constitutional democracy, with the American Revolution playing an inspirational role in many other revolutions. The US Constitution has also been said to have influenced the first written constitution in sub-Saharan Africa – Liberia’s in 1847. However, the two major types of constitutional democracy in the modern world are exemplified by the United States and Great Britain. The US is the leading example of the presidential system of constitutional democracy, while Britain is the classic example of the parliamentary system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Popular sovereignty | The people are the ultimate source of the authority of the government, which derives its right to govern from their consent |
| Majority rule and minority rights | Although "the majority rules", the fundamental rights of individuals in the minority are protected |
| Limited government | The powers of government are limited by law and a written or unwritten constitution which those in power obey |
| Institutional and procedural limitations on powers | There are certain institutional and procedural devices which limit the powers of government |
| Justice | Distributive justice: the fair distribution of the benefits and burdens of society; corrective justice: fair and proper responses to wrongs and injuries; procedural justice: the use of fair procedures in the gathering of information and the making of decisions by all agencies of government and, most particularly, by law enforcement agencies and the courts |
| Equality | Political equality: all citizens are equally entitled to participate in the political system; equality before the law: the law does not discriminate on the basis of unreasonable and unfair criteria such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, religious or political beliefs and affiliations, class or economic status |
| Citizenship | Each citizen is a full and equal member of a self-governing community endowed with certain fundamental rights, as well as with certain responsibilities |
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What You'll Learn
- The United States is the leading example of a presidential system of constitutional democracy
- Britain is the classic example of the parliamentary system of constitutional democracy
- The American Revolution played an inspirational role in many revolutions and constitutions
- Lincoln's words circulated around the globe and introduced the United States' form of constitutional democracy to many foreigners
- Constitutional democracy is the antithesis of arbitrary rule
The United States is the leading example of a presidential system of constitutional democracy
Constitutional democracy is the antithesis of arbitrary rule. It is characterised by popular sovereignty, where the people are the ultimate source of the authority of the government, which derives its right to govern from their consent. It is also characterised by majority rule and minority rights. Although the majority rules, the fundamental rights of individuals in the minority are protected.
The US presidential system is based on the doctrine of separation of powers and distinguishes sharply between the personnel of the legislature and the executive. The US Constitution and its form of constitutional democracy have been introduced to more foreign observers through Lincoln than through any other single American.
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Britain is the classic example of the parliamentary system of constitutional democracy
Britain, on the other hand, is the classic example of the parliamentary system. The British parliamentary system provides for the integration or fusion of legislature and executive. The people are the ultimate source of the authority of the government, which derives its right to govern from their consent. Although "the majority rules", the fundamental rights of individuals in the minority are protected.
The American Revolution played an inspirational role in many revolutions, not to mention the early stage of constitution-making. The US Constitution influenced the new Latin American constitutions of the 1810s and 20s, as well as the first written constitution in sub-Saharan Africa – Liberia’s in 1847. Lincoln’s words circulated around the globe and introduced the United States and its form of constitutional democracy to many foreign observers.
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The American Revolution played an inspirational role in many revolutions and constitutions
The United States is the leading example of a presidential system of constitutional democracy. The American Revolution played an inspirational role in many revolutions and constitutions. Historians have traced the influence of the US Constitution in the new Latin American constitutions of the 1810s and 20s. The US experiment in constitutional democracy also left an early impact beyond the Western Hemisphere. The most direct link can be seen in the first written constitution in sub-Saharan Africa – Liberia’s in 1847.
Lincoln’s words circulated around the globe and introduced the United States and its form of constitutional democracy to many foreigners. Proponents of republican government around the world found common denominators and inspirations in the cause of the Union. For example, in Mexico, Liberals under Benito Juarez successfully repelled imperial forces from France under Austrian archduke Maximillian, in order to reinstitute the liberal 1857 constitution.
Constitutional democracy is the antithesis of arbitrary rule. It is characterised by popular sovereignty, where the people are the ultimate source of the authority of the government, which derives its right to govern from their consent. It is also characterised by majority rule and minority rights, where the fundamental rights of individuals in the minority are protected.
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Lincoln's words circulated around the globe and introduced the United States' form of constitutional democracy to many foreigners
The United States is the leading example of a presidential system of constitutional democracy. The American Revolution played an inspirational role in many other revolutions, and the US Constitution influenced the first written constitution in sub-Saharan Africa – Liberia’s in 1847.
Lincoln’s words circulated around the globe and introduced the United States' form of constitutional democracy to many foreigners. Lincoln and the cause of the Union resonated with so many foreigners because proponents of republican government around the world were engaged in their own struggles of national formation in this period and found common denominators and inspirations in the cause of the Union. For example, in Mexico, Liberals under Benito Juarez successfully repelled imperial forces from France under Austrian archduke Maximillian, in order to reinstitute the liberal 1857 constitution.
Constitutional democracy is the antithesis of arbitrary rule. It is characterised by popular sovereignty, where the people are the ultimate source of the authority of the government, which derives its right to govern from their consent. It is also characterised by majority rule and minority rights, where the fundamental rights of individuals in the minority are protected.
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Constitutional democracy is the antithesis of arbitrary rule
The United States is the leading example of the presidential system of constitutional democracy. The US presidential system is based on the doctrine of separation of powers and distinguishes sharply between the personnel of the legislature and the executive.
Britain, on the other hand, is the classic example of the parliamentary system of constitutional democracy. The British parliamentary system provides for the integration or fusion of legislature and executive.
The American Revolution played an inspirational role in many revolutions around the world, including in Latin America in the 1810s and 20s and in the first written constitution in sub-Saharan Africa – Liberia’s in 1847.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional democracy is the antithesis of arbitrary rule. It is a democracy characterised by popular sovereignty, where the people are the ultimate source of the authority of the government, which derives its right to govern from their consent.
The United States is the leading example of a constitutional democracy, with its presidential system based on the doctrine of separation of powers.
Liberia's constitution in 1847 is the first written constitution in sub-Saharan Africa.
