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Table III.1

Constitutional form and ideological content

 

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Table III: 1. Form and content of African francophone constitutional preambles:

LEGEND:

+   : explicitly in main text

-   : not in main text                   

o   : not explicitly in main text

n.e.: not explicitly

n.a.: not applicable

no  : not in preamble

yes : in preamble

 

Niger

Cameroon

Senegal

Mali

Zaire

Zaire

 

(1960)

(1972)

(1960)

(1974

(1964)

(1978)

DEFINITION

introductory text present

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

historical conditions evoked

no

yes

yes

no

yes

yes

principles evoked

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

source of authority explicitly stated

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

FORMAL PROPERTIES

introductory text called preamble

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

length of introductory text

(short)

(long)

(medium)

(medium)

(medium)

(medium)

(no. of words)

70

670

100300

100300

100300

100300

HISTORICAL CONDITIONS

historical conditions evoked

no

yes

yes

no

yes

yes

as transition to different form of the state

no

n.e

yes

no

yes

no

as dangers confronting the nation and measures aimed at

countering these

dangers

no

yes

no

no

yes

yes

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

reference to fundamental rights

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

preamble presented as exhaustive enumeration fundamental rights

no

yes

no

no

no

no

reference to Declaration of 1789

yes

no

yes

no

no

no

reference to Universal Declaration 1948

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

preamble explicitly presented as guarantee of fundamental rights (NB: This point is somewhat charged since such guarantee may usually only be implied, by means of reference to the Universal Declaration of 1948)

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

reference to specific fundamental rights

no

yes

n.e

yes

no

no

classic fundamental Rights

right to personal growth

no

no

no+

yes

no

yes+

political rights in general

n.e.+

n.e+

yes+

n.e.+

no+

no+

freedom of movement

no

yes

n.e+

no

no+

no+

freedom of religion in the broader sense

no

yes

yes+

no+

no+

no+

freedom of expression

no

yes

n.e.+

no

no+

no+

freedom of association and assembly

no o

yes

n.e.+

yes

no+

no+

freedom of trade unions

no

yes

yes+

yes+

no o

no+

 

Niger

Cameroon

Senegal

Mali

Zaire

Zaire

 

(1960)

(1972)

(1960)

(1974) (1964) (1978)

 

 

rights to property

no

yes

yes+

no+

no+

no+

inviolability of domicile [ check ]

no

yes

n.e+

no

no+

no+

secret of correspondence

no

yes

n.e.+

no

no+

no+

Social fundamental Rights

 

 

 

 

 

 

right to material wellbeing

no

no

no

no

yes_

yes

right to work

no

yes

n.e.+

yes+

no

no

right to leisure

no

no

no

yes+

no

no

social right to individual economic development

no

yes

no

no+

no

no

right to education

no

yes

n.e.+

no+

no+

no+

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE

general principles of justice

no

yes

no

yes

yes

no

nulla poena principle

no

yes

no

no

no

no

law never retrospective

no

yes

no

no

no

no

state of law

no

yes

no

yes

yes

no

principle of equality

no

yes

n.e.

no

no

no

NATIONAL IDENTITY AND PANAFRICANISM

mention of national diversity

no

yes

no

no

yes

no

emphasis on necessity of national unity

no

yes

no

no

yes

yes

conservation of own (national) values

no

no

no

no

yes

yes

reference to ancestors

no

no

no

no

no

yes

a specific national ideology presented

no

no

no

no

no

yes

return to authenticity

no

no

no

no

no

yes

mention is made of the African personality

no

no

yes

yes

no

yes

reference to other

 

 

 

 

 

 

states/nations in

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

general

 

 

 

 

 

 

reference to African nations/states

no

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

explicit reference to desirability of African unity

no

yes

yes

yes

no

yes

POLITICOIDEOLOGICAL POSITION

Politico-ideological principles mentioned

yes

yes

yes

no

n.e

yes

affirmation of principle. of democracy

yes

n.e.

n.e.+

no+

no+

no+

reference to sovereignty

no+

yes+

no+

no+

no+

no+

reference to independence

no+

yes

yes

no

no

yes

form of the state defined?

no+

no+

no+

yes+

no+

no+

reference to political parties

no+

no+

no+

no+

no+

yes+

conservation of universal values

no

no

no

no

no

yes

the family as the basis of society

no

yes

no+

no

yes

no+

secularity

no+

yes+

no+

no+

no+

no+

reference to God

no

no

no

no

yes

yes

ECONOMIC IDEOLOGY

taxation commensurate to income

no

yes

no

no

no

no

emphasis on economic independence

no

no

no

no

no

yes

emphasis on inter national economic

no

yes

no

no

no

no

collective property respected

no

no

yes

no

no

no

SOURCE OF AUTHORITY

source of authority is the people

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

that source explicitly enacts the following main body of the constitution

no

no

no

no

yes

yes

 

 

 

 

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