eBook - ePub
A Constitution for the Common Good
Strengthening Scottish Democracy After 2014
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
If Scotland has voted YES on 18 September, how can a written Constitution be good for the people of Scotland?
If Scotland has voted NO, how could a new Constitution protect and enhance Scottish democracy within a restructured UK?
Whether YES or NO, a reconstituted Scotland is possible and good for all its citizens.
Nearly every democracy in the world is built upon a written constitution, and constitutions have been at the core of citizens' demands for better governance in places as disparate as Kenya, Tunisia and Ukraine. With the Scottish National Party promising a written constitution in the event of a YES vote and other parties suggesting other possible options for constitutional change in the event of a NO vote, constitutional change looks certain to remain central to the political agenda in Scotland for some time to come.
But what is a constitution for? Is it a defensive charter to protect the basic structures of democratic government, or is it a transformative covenant for a better society? How can the Constitution sustain democracy and promote ethical politics while at the same time recognising and accommodating differences in society? What difference would a good Constitution make to the poor? How can the Constitution help ensure that the common good of the citizenry prevails over private vested interests?
In addressing these questions, this book sets out a vision for how Scotland could reconstitute itself. It emphasises the connection between the constitution, democracy and the common good, arguing that democratic self-government is the true prize, regardless of the relationship of Scotland to the rest of the UK.
This book not only makes a vital contribution to Scotland's current and on-going constitutional debate, whatever the outcome in September 2014, but also engages with fundamental questions of constitutionalism and democracy that are of enduring relevance to both citizens and scholars around the world.
If Scotland has voted NO, how could a new Constitution protect and enhance Scottish democracy within a restructured UK?
Whether YES or NO, a reconstituted Scotland is possible and good for all its citizens.
Nearly every democracy in the world is built upon a written constitution, and constitutions have been at the core of citizens' demands for better governance in places as disparate as Kenya, Tunisia and Ukraine. With the Scottish National Party promising a written constitution in the event of a YES vote and other parties suggesting other possible options for constitutional change in the event of a NO vote, constitutional change looks certain to remain central to the political agenda in Scotland for some time to come.
But what is a constitution for? Is it a defensive charter to protect the basic structures of democratic government, or is it a transformative covenant for a better society? How can the Constitution sustain democracy and promote ethical politics while at the same time recognising and accommodating differences in society? What difference would a good Constitution make to the poor? How can the Constitution help ensure that the common good of the citizenry prevails over private vested interests?
In addressing these questions, this book sets out a vision for how Scotland could reconstitute itself. It emphasises the connection between the constitution, democracy and the common good, arguing that democratic self-government is the true prize, regardless of the relationship of Scotland to the rest of the UK.
This book not only makes a vital contribution to Scotland's current and on-going constitutional debate, whatever the outcome in September 2014, but also engages with fundamental questions of constitutionalism and democracy that are of enduring relevance to both citizens and scholars around the world.
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access A Constitution for the Common Good by W Elliot Bulmer in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Politics & International Relations & Constitutions. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Acknowledgements
- Contents
- Preface to the Second Edition
- Introduction
- CHAPTER ONE Does the Constitution still matter?
- CHAPTER TWO How can Constitutions promote the common good?
- CHAPTER THREE How prescriptive should the Constitution be?
- CHAPTER FOUR How could the Constitution strengthen democracy?
- CHAPTER FIVE How can the Constitution promote good governance and accountability?
- CHAPTER SIX How can the Constitution reflect our values and identities?
- CHAPTER SEVEN How can the Constitution help us to achieve social justice, tackle poverty and reduce inequality?
- CHAPTER EIGHT How can the Constitution promote public ethics?
- CHAPTER NINE How can we build a new constitutional settlement?
- APPENDICES
- Endnotes
- Back Cover