UNIT 1: Introduction to constitutionalism

Question 1

What is a constitution?

Answer 1

-political document that sets out political, economic and social laws for the nation
-principles of how the country will be governed
-between government and citizen

Question 2

What do constitutions do?

Answer 2

-create a system of government
-constitutes

Question 3

What are the five functions of a constitution?

Answer 3

-sets up state or political order (e.g. democracy communism)
-limitation of state e.g. elections for pm every 5 years
-sets out the role of powers and what they do e.g. institutions
-offers symbolic function
-gives country legal legitimacy

Question 4

What is constitutionalism?

Answer 4

-belief in the constitution
-maintaining democratic protection for the individual, separation of powers, accountable government

Question 5

What is legal constitutionalism?

Answer 5

-holding those in power to judicial review consequently keeping them in check

Question 6

What is political constitutionalism?

Answer 6

-the government being held to account through political means e.g. by the leader of the opposition

Question 7

What is transformative constitutionalism?

Answer 7

-process of moving the state towards a change in social, political, legal or economic systems

Question 8

What is constitutional liberalism?

Answer 8

-is a form of government that upholds the principles of classical liberalism and the rule of law