UNPACKING CONSTITUTIONALISM: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Abstract:ABSTRACT
The
focus of this paper is the theory of constitutionalism, a philosophy based on
the classical liberal idea of the social contract that finds expression in
modern concepts like quality of democracy. The conceptual relationship with
associated notions like good governance, rule of law, political pluralism, and
quality of governance is delineated. These important notions form the
foundation of a constitutional democracy and shall be discussed with examples
from Africa. In this paper, the philosophical and theoretical rationale for
constitutionalism is interrogated. The paper establishes that there is
relationship between constitutionalism, good governance, rule of law, political
pluralism. Based on theoretical rationale and constitutionalism it was
concluded that the quality of government judged from the institutional
practices of an impartial state.