constitutionalists
Fundamental law advocates
Constitutionalists are people who advocate strict adherence to a constitution, particularly in interpreting governmental powers.
In American politics, constitutionalists often argue for limited federal authority and originalist readings of the U.S.
Constitution: Constitutionalists opposed the mandate as an overreach of congressional power.
The term can also describe scholars who specialize in constitutional law.
National legislative assembly
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- senateLegislative governing body
- assemblyConstructing from components
- charterFounding organizational document
amendment · ratification · federalism · sovereignty · bicameral · unicameral · separation of powers · checks and balances
Guaranteed judicial fairness
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- precedentPrior authoritative example
- originalismInterpreting by founding-era meaning
- textualismInterpreting law literally
interpretation · adjudication · supreme court · ruling · dissent · opinion · landmark case · litigation
Rights limiting government power
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- equalitySame status for all
- amendmentChange to official text
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
privacy · due process · free speech · assembly · petition · habeas corpus · protections · natural rights
State with elected leaders
- representativeOne who acts for another
- electorateEligible voting body
- pluralismCoexistence of differing views
- majoritarianismRule by greatest number
participatory · liberal democracy · consensus · legitimacy · enfranchisement · accountability · transparency · self-governance
parliament
National legislative assembly
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- senateLegislative governing body
- assemblyConstructing from components
charter · amendment · ratification · federalism · sovereignty · bicameral · unicameral · separation of powers · checks and balances · executive
due process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- precedentPrior authoritative example
- originalismInterpreting by founding-era meaning
textualism · interpretation · adjudication · supreme court · ruling · dissent · opinion · landmark case · litigation · injunction
civil liberties
Rights limiting government power
suffrage · privacy · due process · free speech · assembly · petition · habeas corpus · protections · natural rights · individual rights
republic
State with elected leaders
- representativeOne who acts for another
- electorateEligible voting body
- pluralismCoexistence of differing views
majoritarianism · participatory · liberal democracy · consensus · legitimacy · enfranchisement · accountability · transparency · self-governance · popular sovereignty
- Finnish historyFinland, Winter War, Soviet invasion, Russian Empire, imperial rule
- African LeadersNelson Mandela, Haile Selassie, Idi Amin, Robert Mugabe, Muammar Gaddafi
- reformersreformers, reformer, social reformers, social reformer, political reformer
- Royalistsmonarchists, monarchist, royalists, royalist, loyalists
- Fringe Groupsmilitias, extremists, radicals, separatists, dissidents
constitutionalistsauthoritarians
Rulers demanding total compliance
absolutists · autocrats · monarchists · totalitarians · despots
constitutionalistsrevolutionaries
Those seeking systemic overthrow
insurrectionists · anarchists · coup plotters · strongmen · seditionists