Popular Sovereignity in the Constitutional State Cover Image

Narodni suverenitet u ustavnoj državi
Popular Sovereignity in the Constitutional State

Author(s): Carl Ballestrem
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Fakultet političkih znanosti u Zagrebu

Summary/Abstract: The author analyses the tension which exists in constitutional states between the popular sovereignty and the constraints of the people by constitutional order. After explaining and historically interpreting the significance of popular sovereignty as well as the danger hidden in the unequivocal adherence to this principle, he describes the functioning of popular sovereignty in several European constitutions. Most of them express certain misgivings about the people and its direct participation, so that its activities are limited to constitutionally predictable decisions. The author also highlights certain ethic dilemmas and perimeters of popular sovereignty. Constitutional state is based on the compromise between the liberal and the democratic principle; recently, this compromise has been endangered in some newly-created constitutional regimes by non-liberal democracy or the disequilibrium between these two principles.

  • Issue Year: XXXV/1998
  • Issue No: 03
  • Page Range: 64-77
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Croatian