constitutional democracy
Charter-bound popular rule
Constitutional democracy is a system of government where elected representatives exercise power within limits set by a foundational legal document—a constitution.
The constitution protects individual rights and establishes checks on authority, preventing majorities from overriding fundamental freedoms.
The United States operates as a constitutional democracy with three branches of government.
The term emphasizes rule of law over rule by popular will alone.
- referendumsPopular votes on issues
- popular sovereigntyPopulace holds ultimate authority
- consent of the governedRulers need citizen approval
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
elections · get out the vote · minority rights · federalism · civil liberties · individual rights · judicial review · rule of law · human rights · checks and balances · civic participation · town hall · transparency · political equality · parliamentary system · executive branch · electoral commission · freedom of speech
- democracyvote, voting, election, elections, ballot
- New South AfricaNelson Mandela, Mandela, rainbow nation, African National Congress, truth commission
constitutional democracyauthoritarian rule
Centralized, unaccountable power
dictatorship · totalitarianism · autocracy · tyranny · authoritarianism
constitutional democracyabsolute rule
Unrestricted governmental power
rule by decree · one-man rule · martial law · emergency rule
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