Constitutionalism

Constitutionalism is the limitation of government by law. Constitutionalism also implies a balance between the power of the government on the one hand, and the rights of individuals on the other.

Typically, a government can be considered constitutional if it possesses the following four limitations:

The legislature can convene and can’t be dismissed by parties other than itself.
All courts are established by the legislative branch.
The executive branch can't appoint ministers unilaterally without the approval of the legislative branch.
Only the legislature can levy taxes.

Examples

United States

In the United States, a constitutionalist refers to those who advocate strict adherence to the intentions of the framers of the U.S. Constitution. Constitutionalists are also called constitutional conservatives in the United States. The Constitutionalist Party differs significantly from the Constitution Party.

United Kingdom

Constitutionalist was also a label used by some candidates in UK general elections in the early 1920s. Most of the candidates were former Liberal Party members, and many of them joined the Conservative Party soon after being elected. The best known Constitutionalist candidate was Winston Churchill in the 1924 UK general election.

Dominican Republic

After the democratically elected government of president Juan Bosch in the Dominican Republic was deposed, the Constitutionalist movement was born in the country. As opposed to said movement, the Anticonstitutionalist movement was also born. Juan Bosch had to part to Puerto Rico after he was deposed. His first leader was Colonel Rafael Tomás Fernández Domínguez, and he wanted Bosch to come back to power once again. Colonel Fernández Domínguez was exiled to Puerto Rico were Bosch was. The Constitutionalists had a new leader: Colonel Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó.

Other countries in the 1820s

The year 1820 saw Constitutionalist revolutions in Portugal and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. In the year 1906, constitutionalism was introduced in Iran.

External links and references

Latter-day Conservative

Politics

Konstitutionalismus | مشروطیت (حکومت) | Constitucionalismo | 宪政