constitutionalism

Rule by founding document

Constitutionalism is the principle that government power should be limited and defined by a constitution.

It holds that rulers are bound by fundamental law rather than ruling by personal will or decree.

The term often carries advocacy: a scholar of constitutionalism, The movement promoted constitutionalism as a check on authoritarian tendencies.

Constitutionalism implies not just having a constitution but actually governing according to its constraints.

philosophy

sovereignty

Supreme independent authority

republicanismGovernment by elected officials
federalismDivided governmental authority system
enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening

pluralism · legitimacy · consent · Montesquieu · Locke · Rousseau · Hobbes · originalism · textualism

governance

legislature

Lawmaking governmental branch

parliamentNational legislative assembly
senateLegislative governing body
assemblyConstructing from components

executive · judiciary · cabinet · bicameral · unicameral · federalism · veto · quorum · delegation · autonomy

democracy

elections

Formal choosing of officials

votingFormally registering a choice
suffrageRight to cast ballots
representationDepiction or likeness

majority · minority · parliament · referendum · plebiscite · franchise · consent · accountability · republicanism · deliberation

liberty

freedom

Absence of constraint

autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
self-determinationControl over one's fate
emancipationRelease from legal bondage

self-governance · civil-liberties · privacy · suffrage · petition · dissent · conscience

legal

amendment

Change to official text

ratificationFormal approval by authority
clauseProvision in agreement
provisionPreparatory supply or clause

article · jurisprudence · codification · enactment · statutory · precedent · preamble · supremacy · nullification · incorporation

Categories

civicsballot, election, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government
governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
US Politicsconservatism, ballot, liberalism, bill, campaign
international lawinternational law, treaty, treaties, conventions, protocols
political philosophypolitical philosophy, political theory, political thought, social contract, natural rights
political sciencepolitical science, political theory, political behavior, political economy, political institutions

Opposites

limits on power

constitutionalismabsolutism

Unrestricted governmental authority

despotism · authoritarianism · tyranny · totalitarianism · autocracy

source of legitimacy

constitutionalismdivine right

God-granted ruling authority

voluntarism · rule by decree · personality cult · raw power · theocracy

rule-based vs. arbitrary governance

constitutionalismrule by decree

lawlessness · personalism · anarchy · martial law · emergency rule

Family

constitutionalist, constitutionalists, unconstitutionality

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Timeless · Abstract · Rated G