Constitutionalism

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Author:kiruthikadhanapal@legalserviceindia.com
Publishedon:August31,2014

Constitutionalism kiruthikadhanapal@legalserviceindia.com's
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Forgenuinedemocracies,constitutionsconsistof KiruthikaDStudentB.A.,B.L.,(Hons)
overarchingarrangementsthatdeterminethepolitical, SchoolofExcellenceinLaw
legalandsocialstructuresbywhichsocietyistobe
governed.Constitutionalprovisionsarethereforeconsideredtobeparamountorfundamentallaw.Under
thesecircumstances,ifconstitutionallawitselfisinadequate,thenatureofdemocracyandruleoflawwithin
acountryisaffected.Thestructureofmodernnationshasbeenshapedwithgovernmentbeingdividedinto
executive,legislativeandjudicialbodies,withthecommonlyacceptednotionthatthesebodiesandtheir
powersmustbeseparated.Ofcourse,theseparationofpowersdoesnotmeanthesebodiesfunctionalone,
rathertheyworkinterdependently,butmaintaintheirautonomy.Othertenetsincludetheideaoflimited
governmentandthesupremacyoflaw.Together,thesecanbetermedtheconceptofconstitutionalism.In
otherwords,constitutionalismistheideathatgovernmentshouldbelimitedinitspowersandthatits
authoritydependsonitsobservationoftheselimitations.Aconstitutionisthelegalandmoralframework
settingoutthesepowersandtheirlimitations.Thisframeworkmustrepresentthewillofthepeople,and
shouldthereforehavebeenarrivedatthroughconsensus.

MeaningofConstitutionalism
Constitutionalismhasavarietyofmeanings.Mostgenerally,itis"acomplexofideas,attitudes,andpatterns
ofbehaviorelaboratingtheprinciplethattheauthorityofgovernmentderivesfromandislimitedbyabody
offundamentallaw".Apoliticalorganizationisconstitutionaltotheextentthatit"contain[s]
institutionalizedmechanismsofpowercontrolfortheprotectionoftheinterestsandlibertiesofthecitizenry,
includingthosethatmaybeintheminority".Asdescribedbypoliticalscientistandconstitutionalscholar
DavidFellman:Itmaybesaidthatthetouchstoneofconstitutionalismistheconceptoflimitedgovernment
underahigherlaw.

Constitutionalismmeanslimitedgovernmentorlimitationongovernment.Itisantithesisofarbitrary
powers.Constitutionalismrecognizestheneedforgovernmentwithpowersbutatthesametimeinsiststhat
limitationbeplacedonthosepowers.Theantithesisofconstitutionalismisdespotism.Agovernmentwhich
goesbeyonditslimitslosesitsauthorityandlegitimacy.Therefore,topreservethebasicfreedomsofthe
individual,andtomaintainhisdignityandpersonality,theConstitutionshouldbepermeatedwith
Constitutionalismitshouldhavesomeinbuiltrestrictionsonthepowersconferredbyitongovernmental
organs.

ConstitutionalismInMinimalAndInRicherSense
Insomeminimalsenseoftheterm,a"constitution"consistsofasetofrulesornormscreating,structuring
anddefiningthelimitsof,governmentpowerorauthority.Taketheextremecaseofanabsolutemonarchy,
Rex,whocombinesunlimitedpowerinallthreedomains.IfitiswidelyacknowledgedthatRexhasthese
powers,aswellastheauthoritytoexercisethemathispleasure,thentheconstitutionofthisstatecouldbe
saidtocontainonlyonerule,whichgrantsunlimitedpowertoRex.Whateverhedecreesisconstitutionally
valid.Whenscholarstalkofconstitutionalism,however,theynormallymeansomethingthatrulesoutRex's
case.Theymeannotonlythattherearerulescreatinglegislative,executiveandjudicialpowers,butthat
theserulesimposelimitsonthosepowers.

Constitutionalisminthisrichersenseofthetermistheideathatgovernmentcan/shouldbelimitedinits
powersandthatitsauthoritydependsonitsobservingtheselimitations.Inthisrichersenseoftheterm,
Rex'ssocietyhasnotembracedconstitutionalismbecausetherulesdefininghisauthorityimposeno
constitutionallimits.

UsageofConstitutionalism
Constitutionalismhasprescriptiveanddescriptiveuses.LawprofessorGerhardCaspercapturedthisaspect
oftheterm.Useddescriptively,itreferschieflytothehistoricalstruggleforconstitutionalrecognitionofthe
people'srightto'consent'andcertainotherrights,freedoms,andprivileges.Usedprescriptivelyits
meaningincorporatesthosefeaturesofgovernmentseenastheessentialelementsoftheConstitution."

Descriptiveuse

Oneexampleofconstitutionalism'sdescriptiveuseislawprofessorBernardSchwartz'sseekstotracethe
originsoftheU.S.BillofRights.Whilehardlypresentinga"straightline,"theaccountillustratesthe
historicalstruggletorecognizeandenshrineconstitutionalrightsandprinciplesinaconstitutionalorder.

Prescriptiveuse

Incontrasttodescribingwhatconstitutionsare,aprescriptiveapproachaddresseswhataconstitutionshould
be.AspresentedbyCanadianphilosopherWilWaluchow,constitutionalismembodies"theideathat
governmentcanandshouldbelegallylimitedinitspowers,andthatitsauthoritydependsonitsobserving
theselimitations.

HistoryofConstitutionalism
Indiscussingthehistoryandnatureofconstitutionalism,acomparisonisoftendrawnbetweenThomas
HobbesandJohnLockewhoarethoughttohavedefended,respectively,thenotionofconstitutionally
unlimitedsovereignty(e.g.,Rex)versusthatofsovereigntylimitedbythetermsofasocialcontract
containingsubstantivelimitations(e.g.,Regina).ButanequallygoodfocalpointistheEnglishlegaltheorist
JohnAustinwho,likeHobbes,thoughtthattheverynotionoflimitedsovereigntyisincoherent.ForAustin,
alllawisthecommandofasovereignpersonorbodyofpersons,andsothenotionthatthesovereigncould
belimitedbylawrequiresasovereignwhoisselfbinding,whocommandshim/her/itself.Butnoonecan
"command"himself,exceptinsomefigurativesense,sothenotionoflimitedsovereigntyis,forAustin(and
Hobbes),asincoherentastheideaofasquarecircle.Austinsaysthatsovereigntymayliewiththepeople,or
someotherpersonorbodywhoseauthorityisunlimited.Governmentbodiese.g.,Parliamentorthe
judiciarycanbelimitedbyconstitutionallaw,butthesovereigni.e.,"thepeople"remainsunlimited.But
ifweidentifythecommanderswith"thepeople",thenwehavetheparadoxicalresultidentifiedbyH.L.A.
Hartthecommandersarecommandingthecommanders.

ImportantFeaturesofConstitutionalism
Entrenchment:
Accordingtomosttheorists,oneoftheimportantfeaturesofconstitutionalismisthatthenormsimposing
limitsupongovernmentpowermustbeinsomewaybeentrenched,eitherbylaworbywayofconstitutional
convention.Entrenchmentnotonlyfacilitatesadegreeofstabilityovertime,itisarguablyarequirementof
theverypossibilityofconstitutionallylimitedgovernment.Wereagovernmentinstitutionentitled,atits
pleasure,tochangetheverytermsofitsconstitutionallimitations,wemightbegintoquestionwhetherthere
would,inreality,beanysuchlimitations.

Writtenness:
Somescholarsbelievethatconstitutionalrulesdonotexistunlesstheyareinsomewayenshrinedina
writtendocument.Othersarguethatconstitutionscanbeunwritten,andcite,asanobviousexampleofthis
possibility,theconstitutionoftheUnitedKingdom.ThoughtheUKhasnothingresemblingtheAmerican
ConstitutionanditsBillofRights,itneverthelesscontainsanumberofwritteninstrumentswhicharguably
formacentralelementofitsconstitution.MagnaCarta(1215A.D.)isperhapstheearliestdocumentofthe
Britishconstitution,whileothersincludeThePetitionofRight(1628)andtheBillofRights(1689).

ElementsofConstitutionalism
Writtenconstraintsintheconstitution,however,arenotconstrainingbythemselves.Tyrantswillnotbecome
benevolentrulerssimplybecausetheconstitutiontellsthemto.Inordertoguardagainstviolationsagainst
theletterandspiritoftheconstitution,thereneedstobeasetofinstitutionalarrangements.LouisHenkin
definesconstitutionalismasconstitutingthefollowingelements:(1)governmentaccordingtothe
constitution(2)separationofpower(3)sovereigntyofthepeopleanddemocraticgovernment(4)
constitutionalreview(5)independentjudiciary(6)limitedgovernmentsubjecttoabillofindividualrights
(7)controllingthepolice(8)civiliancontrolofthemilitaryand(9)nostatepower,orverylimitedand
strictlycircumscribedstatepower,tosuspendtheoperationofsomepartsof,ortheentire,constitution.

Broadlyspeaking,Henkin'snineelementsofconstitutionalismcanbedividedintotwogroups,oneconcerns
powerconstructionandpowerlodgingandtheotherdealswithrightsprotection.Thesetwogroupsof
institutionalarrangementsworktogethertoensurethesupremacyoftheconstitution,theexistenceoflimited
yetstronggovernment,andtheprotectionofbasicfreedom.

ConstitutionalismAndDemocracy
Authoritariangovernmentsarebytheirverynatureunconstitutional.Suchgovernmentsthinkofthemselves
asabovethelaw,andthereforeseenonecessityfortheseparationofpowersorrepresentativegovernance.
Constitutionalismhowever,isprimarilybasedonthenotionofpeople'ssovereignty,whichistobe
exercisedinalimitedmannerbyarepresentativegovernment.Theonlyconsensualandrepresentative
formofgovernanceinexistencetoday,isdemocraticgovernment.Inthisway,thereisaveryimportantand
basiclinkbetweendemocracyandconstitutionalism.Justasmereconstitutionsdonotmakecountries
constitutional,politicalpartiesandelectionsdonotmakegovernmentsdemocratic.Genuinedemocracies
restonthesovereigntyofthepeople,nottherulers.Electedrepresentativesaretoexerciseauthorityon
behalfofthepeople,basedonthewillofthepeople.Withoutgenuinedemocracy,therecanbeno
constitutionalism.

ConstitutionalismAndRuleofLaw
Ruleoflawreferstothesupremacyoflaw:thatsocietyisgovernedbylawandthislawappliesequallytoall
persons,includinggovernmentandstateofficials.Followingbasicprinciplesofconstitutionalism,common
institutionalprovisionsusedtomaintaintheruleoflawincludetheseparationofpowers,judicialreview,the
prohibitionofretroactivelegislationandhabeascorpus.Genuineconstitutionalismthereforeprovidesa
minimalguaranteeofthejusticeofboththecontentandtheformoflaw.Ontheotherhand,
constitutionalismissafeguardedbytheruleoflaw.Onlywhenthesupremacyoftheruleoflawis
established,cansupremacyoftheconstitutionexist.Constitutionalismadditionallyrequireseffectivelaws
andtheirenforcementtoprovidestructuretoitsframework.

ConstitutionalismAndConstitutionalConvention
Theideaofconstitutionalismisusuallythoughttorequirelegallimitationongovernmentpowerand
authority.Butaccordingtomostconstitutionalscholars,thereismoretoaconstitutionthanconstitutional
law.Butthereisalongstandingtraditionofconceivingofconstitutionsascontainingmuchmorethan
constitutionallaw.Diceyisfamousforproposingthat,inadditiontoconstitutionallaw,theBritish
constitutionalsystemcontainsanumberof"constitutionalconventions"whicheffectivelylimitgovernment
intheabsenceoflegallimitation.Theseare,ineffect,socialrulesarisingwithinthepracticesofthepolitical
communityandwhichimposeimportant,butnonlegal,limitsongovernmentpowers.

ConstitutionalismInDifferentCountries
UnitedStates
Americanconstitutionalismhasbeendefinedasacomplexofideas,attitudes,andpatternsofbehavior
elaboratingtheprinciplethattheauthorityofgovernmentderivesfromthepeople,andislimitedbyabody
offundamentallaw.Theseideas,attitudesandpatternsofbehavior,accordingtooneanalyst,derivefrom"a
dynamicpoliticalandhistoricalprocessratherthanfromastaticbodyofthoughtlaiddownintheeighteenth
century".InU.S.history,constitutionalisminbothitsdescriptiveandprescriptivesensehastraditionally
focusedonthefederalConstitution.Indeed,aroutineassumptionofmanyscholarshasbeenthat
understanding"Americanconstitutionalism"necessarilyentailsthethoughtthatwentintothedraftingofthe
federalConstitutionandtheAmericanexperiencewiththatconstitutionsinceitsratificationin1789.There
isarichtraditionofstateconstitutionalismthatoffersbroaderinsightintoconstitutionalismintheUnited
States.

UnitedKingdom
TheUnitedKingdomisperhapsthebestinstanceofconstitutionalisminacountrythathasanuncodified
constitution.AvarietyofdevelopmentsinseventeenthcenturyEngland,including"theprotractedstruggle
forpowerbetweenkingandParliamentwasaccompaniedbyanefflorescenceofpoliticalideasinwhichthe
conceptofcountervailingpowerswasclearlydefined,"ledtoawelldevelopedpolitywithmultiple
governmentalandprivateinstitutionsthatcounterthepowerofthestate.
PolishLithuanianCommonwealth
Fromthemidsixteenthtothelateeighteenthcentury,thePolishLithuanianCommonwealthutilizedthe
liberumveto,aformofunanimityvotingrule,initsparliamentarydeliberations.The"principleofliberum
vetoplayedanimportantrolein[the]emergenceoftheuniquePolishformofconstitutionalism."This
constraintonthepowersofthemonarchweresignificantinmakingthe"[r]uleoflaw,religioustolerance
andlimitedconstitutionalgovernment...thenorminPolandintimeswhentherestofEuropewasbeing
devastatedbyreligioushatredanddespotism."

ConstitutionalismInIndia
IndiaisademocraticcountrywithawrittenConstitution.RuleofLawisthebasisforgovernanceofthe
countryandalltheadministrativestructuresareexpectedtofollowitinbothletterandspirit.Itisexpected
thatConstitutionalismisanaturalcorollarytogovernanceinIndia.Buttheexperiencewiththeprocessof
governanceinIndiainthelastsixdecadesisamixedone.Ontheonehand,wehaveexcellentadministrative
structuresputinplacetooverseeeventheminutestofdetailsrelatedtowelfaremaximizationbutcrucially
ontheotherithasonlyresultedinexcessivebureaucratizationandeventualalienationoftherulersfromthe
ruled.Sinceindependence,thoseregionswhichwerebackwardremainedthesame,thegapbetweentherich
andpoorhaswidened,peopleatthebottomlevelofthepyramidremainedattheperipheryofdevelopmental
process,bureaucracyretainedcolonialcharactersandoveralldevelopmentremainedmuchbelowthe
expectationsofthepeople.

CaseLawswhereprincipleofConstitutionalismislegally
recognizedbySupremeCourt
InI.R.Coelho(Dead)ByLRs.vs.StateofTamilNaduandOrs.viewtakenbytheSupremeCourtThe
principleofconstitutionalismisnowalegalprinciplewhichrequirescontrolovertheexerciseof
Governmentalpowertoensurethatitdoesnotdestroythedemocraticprinciplesuponwhichitisbased.
Thesedemocraticprinciplesincludetheprotectionoffundamentalrights.Theprincipleofconstitutionalism
advocatesacheckandbalancemodeloftheseparationofpowers,itrequiresadiffusionofpowers,
necessitatingdifferentindependentcentersofdecisionmaking.Theprotectionoffundamentalconstitutional
rightsthroughthecommonlawismainfeatureofcommonlawconstitutionalism.

InRameshwarPrasadandOrs.Vs.UnionofIndia(UOI)andAnr.Theconstitutionalismor
constitutionalsystemofGovernmentabhorsabsolutismitispremisedontheRuleofLawinwhich
subjectivesatisfactionissubstitutedbyobjectivityprovidedbytheprovisionsoftheConstitutionitself.
Constitutionalismisaboutlimitsandaspirations.
AsobservedbyChandrachud,CJ,inMinervaMillsLtd.TheConstitutionisapreciousheritageand,
therefore,youcannotdestroyitsidentity'

Ononehand,ourjudiciaryelicitsuchintellectualresponsesthatFaithinthejudiciaryisofprime
importance.Oursisafreenation.Amongsuchpeoplerespectforlawandbeliefinitsconstitutional
interpretationbycourtsrequireanextraordinarydegreeoftoleranceandcooperationforthevalueof
democracyandsurvivalofconstitutionalismsaidinIndraSawhneyandOrs.vs.UnionofIndia(UOI)and
Ors.

Criticisms
Constitutionalismhasbeenthesubjectofcriticismbynumerousanarchistthinkers.Forexample,Murray
Rothbard,whocoinedtheterm"anarchocapitalism",attackedconstitutionalism,arguingthatconstitutions
areincapableofrestraininggovernmentsanddonotprotecttherightsofcitizensfromtheirgovernments.
LegalscholarJeremyWaldroncontendsthatconstitutionalismisoftenundemocratic:Constitutionsarenot
justaboutretrainingandlimitingpowertheyareabouttheempowermentofordinarypeopleinademocracy
andallowingthemtocontrolthesourcesoflawandharnesstheapparatusofgovernmenttotheiraspirations.
Ofcourse,itisalwayspossibletopresentanalternativetoconstitutionalismasanalternativeformof
constitutionalism:scholarstalkof"popularconstitutionalism"or"democraticconstitutionalism."ButIthink
itisworthsettingoutastarkversionoftheantipathybetweenconstitutionalismanddemocraticorpopular
selfgovernment,ifonlybecausethatwillhelpustomeasuremoreclearlytheextenttowhichanewand
maturetheoryofconstitutionallawtakesproperaccountoftheconstitutionalburdenofensuringthatthe
peoplearenotdisenfranchisedbytheverydocumentthatissupposedtogivethemtheirpower.
Conclusion

Rothbergwrotethatistruethat,intheUnitedStates,atleast,wehaveaconstitutionthatimposesstrictlimits
onsomepowersofgovernment.But,aswehavediscoveredinthepastcentury,noconstitutioncaninterpret
orenforceitselfitmustbeinterpretedbymen.Andiftheultimatepowertointerpretaconstitutionisgiven
tothegovernment'sownSupremeCourt,thentheinevitabletendencyisfortheCourttocontinuetoplaceits
imprimaturoneverbroaderpowersforitsowngovernment.Furthermore,thehighlytouted"checksand
balances"and"separationofpowers"intheAmericangovernmentareflimsyindeed,sinceinthefinal
analysisallofthesedivisionsarepartofthesamegovernmentandaregovernedbythesamesetofrulers.
Criminalizationofpoliticsisabanefordemocracyandunlessurgentstepsaretakentocounterit,mightsee
theeventualfailingsofit.PoliticalandadministrativecorruptionisasadrealityofIndianadministrationand
thiscancershouldberemovedfromthebodypoliticofIndiandemocracyonanemergencybasis.
Aspirationsofpeopleatthelocallevelareincreasingatanexponentialmannerandiftheyarefulfilled,the
mountingfrustrationsareextremelydangerousforfunctioningofdemocraticsystem.
_________________________
#SandeepAgarwal,ConstitutionalismChangingParadigm,Sep7,2009,www.legalservice.india.com.
#M.P.Jain,IndianConstitutionalLaw,5thEd,WadhwaandCompanyNagpur,2006,p.5.
#Waluchow,wil,Constitutionalism,Sep11.2012,plato.stanford.edu.
#Constitutionalism,en.wikipedia.org.

#JeremyWaldron,ConstitutionalismASkepticalView,May1,2012,papers.ssrn.com.
#AneshKumar,Whataretheimportantfeaturesofconstitutionalism?,Sep27,2011,
www.preservearticles.com.

#RightsbasedConstitutionalism,Vol.9,Issue02,icon.oxfordjournalas.org.
#Constitutionalism,en.wikipedia.org.

#Alexander,Larry,Constitutionalism,CambridgeUniversityPress,1998,p.207.
#PopularConstitutionalism,www.yalejournal.org.

#M.P.Jain,IndianConstitutionalLaw,5thEd,WadhwaandCompanyNagpur,2006,p.3.
#GlobalConstitutioanlism,Vol.1,Issue03.Nov2012,journals.cambridge.org.
#AIR1999SC3197.
#(2006)2SCC1.

#MinervaMillsLtd.vs.UnionofIndia,AIR1980SC1789.
#1992Supp(3)SCC212.

#SandeepAgarwal,ConstitutionalismChangingParadigm,Sep7,2009,www.legalservice.india.com.
#JeremyWaldron,ConstitutionalismASkepticalView,May1,2012,papers.ssrn.com

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