Constituzzzzzion
I have always meant to read the American constitution. Now, thanks to www.usconstitution.net, I have fulfilled my ambition, and was underwhelmed.
I was always under the impression it was a classic of political literature, guided by Rousseau and inspired by Voltaire, but I’m afraid to say that it’s more of a classic of bureaucratic literature. Nearly all of it – including most of the amendments – concern themselves mainly with the internal machinations of the federal government. Not that this is a bad thing; I remember at the time of the rejection of the European constitution various political pundits opining ‘why couldn’t it be more like that classic of elegant state building, the American constitution’ (though I think it’s a bit idiotic to suggest that a constitution for how a number of complex, fully formed states in a modern world could be as simple as one drafted in a different age and for new states keen to break with the past).
So not that it’s a bad thing, but it really offers very little guidance if you want to learn about freedom, democracy and all the things America is supposed to embody. Indeed, all of the more ideological amendments – freedom of speech, right to bear arms etc.. – didn’t even apply at state level at first, and have only gradually made their punctuated way in to law that applies to everyone in any state (right to bear arms still hasn’t, and probably never will). The constitution was never really intended as something which spells out the relation of individuals to the state, but more about the relation of federal government to the individual states. The right to vote isn’t even included!
So that was an afternoon well-spent.
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Tags: bureaucracy, democracy, freedom, ideology, politics, us constitution