The Role of Constitutionalism and Popular Sovereignty in US Government

Abstract

Government Paper 2 [Name] Constitutionalism is a term that calls for adherence to the set constitutional system/rules in a given government. To this effect, one can argue constitutionalism as a doctrine that governs the legitimacy of government action by demanding official conducts to be per the set legal rules. The legality of constitutionalism remains vested in the legal and moral frameworks that set out the powers and limitations in a constitution. To this effect, legal constitutionalism dictates that the government should be limited in its powers as its authority depends on observation and adherence to the set limitations. On the other hand, political constitutionalism also argues that the government authority remains primarily determined by a body of laws/constitution. To this effect, political constitutionalism remains viewed as a doctrine that responds to majority views for enhanced and more equal public gods than legal constitutionalism that inhibit such reforms on the grounds of their interfering with individual properties, among other rights. Popular sovereignty remains coined around people's will and consent while establishing a government. To this effect, one can define popular sovereignty as a form of government based on people's consent as established by free choice of citizens and expected to serve such people diligently as they have the supreme power. Popular sovereignty dictates that the people are the primary source of government authority and such powers remain legitimate if only the government regards/respects the will of the people and vice-versa. To recognize the doctrine of popular sovereignty, the people elected representatives to use their political power to air people's views in response to their expected government. Upon consent, the government becomes created and sustained. To some extent, popular sovereignty proves a threat as the government remains limited to the people's approval, which may drag its economic, political, and social growth/developments excellently. In any established constitution, various purposes define the reasons for its establishment and existence. Paying close to the most fundamental, one can argue that the constitution aims to develop laws, ensure order and provide security...