From Algeria to Zimbabwe, Constitutions of the World is a guide to the constitutions and constitutional histories of eighty nations. It will prove an invaluable resource for any teacher or student interested in politics, law, human rights or the political history of nations across the world. Strucured alphabetically each chapter profiles one country in an easy-to-use format. For every country a wealth of information is to be found, including: * General Information: location, size, population, capital, economic and political status, type of government and dates of constitutions * Constitutional history: key historical and political events that provide a context for understanding the nation’s current constitution and government * Influences: constitutions or principles of other countries that have had an impact on the nation’s constitution as well as the ways in which it has affected others * Preamble to the constitution: the introduction to the country’s sources of principles * Fundamental rights: statements of rights and freedoms held by individuals * Division of powers: the system of checks and balances within a national government as well as relations with its states or provinces * Structure of government: constitutional obligations of the executive, legislative and judicial branches, including special institutions such as ombudsmen that hear citizens’ complaints as well as judicial and constitutional review powers * Amendments: procedures for amending or revising the constitution Special Strengths Wide ranging - the book has a special vantage point for comparing and contrasting scores of different countries, and from many different perspectives Comprehensive - it is a thorough and extensive reference source covering the historical development and role of constitutions across the world, and their prospects Accessible - Constitutions of the World also contains a useful chart comparing key elements of all eighty constitutions, allowing for quick comparisons at a glance.
