n Conflict Trends - Constitutional democracy and constitutionalism in Africa

Abstract

Defining constitutionalism and democracy remains a challenge. For a long time, the two concepts have been polemic and diversely understood. Yet, the "veneration" of constitutionalism and democracy is among the most enduring and probably justified vanities of liberal democratic theory. As Wiseman rightly pointed out regarding democracy: Many governments of quite different types wish to describe themselves as democratic.