Development and transformation of Western constitutionalism in the 20th century

Author: He Qinhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: As is well known, constitutionalism is the political foundation of modern civilized nations. Without constitutionalism or an incomplete constitutional system, our economic life cannot function normally, the basic rights of citizens cannot be guaranteed, creative activities such as culture, thought, and academia cannot flourish, and the democratic, equal, and free society cannot be realized. On a global scale, modern constitutionalism, whether in its ideological concepts or specific institutions, originates from modern Western countries, particularly the civil law system led by France and Germany, and the common law system led by the United States and the United Kingdom. The constitutional achievements of modern Western countries, such as the separation of powers, presidential systems, cabinet systems, federal systems, parliamentary systems, and constitutional review, were created in the modern West. Over the past century, these constitutional achievements have been further developed in Western countries. The concept of constitutionalism has become more widespread, and the constitutional system has been further refined. Summarizing the experience of the development and transformation of Western constitutionalism in the 20th century is extremely valuable for China, which is currently building a new constitutional system. Although this book has not been able to provide a comprehensive reflection and summary of the development and transformation of Western constitutionalism, it offers a relatively thorough and in-depth academic discussion by delving into four perspectives: the changes in European constitutionalism, the transformation of American constitutionalism, the progress of constitutionalism in Japan and Asian countries, and the evolution of constitutionalism in African countries. This provides a reference for the current development of constitutionalism in China.