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Power & Choice, 8/e
W. Phillips Shively, University of Minnesota---Minneapolis
Constitutions and the Design of Government

Chapter Outline


I. Constitution with small "c" and Constitutions (the documents)

II. Variations in formality (written vs. non-written; new vs. old)

III. The virtues of vagueness
  1. Examples of problems due to 'misplaced specificity'

IV. Other principles of constitutional design
  1. Importance of long-standing traditions
  2. The importance of amendability
  3. Importance of incentive compatibility

V. The geographic concentration of power
  1. Central government vs. cities/states/provinces

VI. "Federal" and "unitary" states

VII. How much centralization is good?

VIII. Constitutionalism
  1. Example: Constitutional government in Great Britain
  2. Example: Constitutional government in Russia
  3. Contrast between strong and weak constitutionalism








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