Notes
Chapter Seven- Political Institutions: Institutional Arrangements
Constitutions and Constitutional Regimes
Constitutions
Constitution- a set of statements describing the fundamental rules of the political system… declares the existence of the state, and expresses three crucial sets of rules:
1. Allocates governmental activities- defining what actions are within the domain of res publica and what political structures will perform these functions
2. Establishes formal power relationships among the major political structures- indicating the conditions under which each is independent or dependent on the actions of the others
3. Limits the power of the rulers and guarantees the rights of the ruled by defining the maximum extent of the state’s authority over its citizens’ freedoms and benefits from the state
Many groups in a society might offer interpretations of what the constitution means and how it ought to be applied to particular circumstances
Although the idea of a constitution has a certain timeless quality, the constitutions of political systems are always changeable. Most countries periodically alter their constitutions
Constitutional Regimes-
Constitutional Regime- operates in terms of the rule of law and ensures effective restraints on the power holders
The state attempts to fulfill the provisions of the constitution
Regimes range on a continuum and are less constitutional when the disparity becomes larger between the provisions in the constitution and the actual politics of society
Nonconstitutional Regimes
Nonconstitutional Regimes- the structural arrangements of the constitution are not generally upheld and there are few restraints on those with political power
The regime can be called ‘nonconstitutional’ when there is persistent nonenforcement of constitutional provisions, especially those regarding the rights of the ruled or crucial limits on the rulers
Various conditions can result in this:
1. Leaders simply ignore with impunity the
Constitutions and Constitutional Regimes
Constitutions
Constitution- a set of statements describing the fundamental rules of the political system… declares the existence of the state, and expresses three crucial sets of rules:
1. Allocates governmental activities- defining what actions are within the domain of res publica and what political structures will perform these functions
2. Establishes formal power relationships among the major political structures- indicating the conditions under which each is independent or dependent on the actions of the others
3. Limits the power of the rulers and guarantees the rights of the ruled by defining the maximum extent of the state’s authority over its citizens’ freedoms and benefits from the state
Many groups in a society might offer interpretations of what the constitution means and how it ought to be applied to particular circumstances
Although the idea of a constitution has a certain timeless quality, the constitutions of political systems are always changeable. Most countries periodically alter their constitutions
Constitutional Regimes-
Constitutional Regime- operates in terms of the rule of law and ensures effective restraints on the power holders
The state attempts to fulfill the provisions of the constitution
Regimes range on a continuum and are less constitutional when the disparity becomes larger between the provisions in the constitution and the actual politics of society
Nonconstitutional Regimes
Nonconstitutional Regimes- the structural arrangements of the constitution are not generally upheld and there are few restraints on those with political power
The regime can be called ‘nonconstitutional’ when there is persistent nonenforcement of constitutional provisions, especially those regarding the rights of the ruled or crucial limits on the rulers
Various conditions can result in this:
1. Leaders simply ignore with impunity the