Constitutionalism: A Skeptical View

46 Pages Posted: 11 Dec 2010 Last revised: 5 May 2012

See all articles by Jeremy Waldron

Jeremy Waldron

New York University School of Law

Date Written: May 1, 2012

Abstract

This paper examines the ideology that goes by the name of "constitutionalism." The first part of the paper considers the significance of "written constitutions" The second part of the paper casts a skeptical eye at conceptions of constitutionalisim that emphasize "limited" government. Once "limited government" is contrasted carefully with "restrained government" (restraints upon specific actions by government) and with "controlled government" (e.g. insistence upon democratic control), we see that the association of constitutionalism with general limitations on the scope of government ought to make it a much more controversial ideal than the general anodyne acceptance of the term "constitutionalism" might lead us to expect. Finally, the anti-democratic implications of constitutionalism are explored. The paper argues that, by insisting on limited government, constitutionalism downplays the important role that constitutions have to perform in the modern world in establishing and securing specifically democratic authority.

Keywords: authority, constitution, constitutionalism, constitutional law, democracy, judicial review, limited government, rights, written constitution

Suggested Citation

Waldron, Jeremy, Constitutionalism: A Skeptical View (May 1, 2012). NYU School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 10-87, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1722771

Jeremy Waldron (Contact Author)

New York University School of Law ( email )

40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012-1099
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
5,252
Abstract Views
32,701
Rank
3,071
PlumX Metrics