Foundational Political Concepts: Constitution to Coup d'État

Foundational Political Concepts

Constitution: A set of laws that people have made and agreed upon for government. It enumerates and limits the powers and functions of a political entity. It defines the fundamental political principles and establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of a government. By limiting the government's own reach, most constitutions guarantee certain rights to the people.

Bourgeois Revolution: A sudden political change led by the Bourgeoisie that transforms the life of people in a short lapse of time. A society based on the Estates of the Realm gave way to a Liberal Society. In many countries of Europe and America, these social transformations took place from the late 1700s and throughout the 19th century.

The Estates General

A consultative French assembly that brought together the three Estates of the Realm of the “Ancien Régime”. In its ballots, only one vote was granted to each Estate, so the privileged classes won every time by two ballots against one. The Estates General that Louis XVI called in 1789 had been brought together for the last time in 1614. The meeting used to be the consequence of a political or economic crisis where the King called his subjects to approve new taxes.

Suffrage

Constitutional right that enables the citizen to vote for his representatives or to be himself elected. A limited suffrage is the one that allows the vote only to those included in a list or restricted census. A universal suffrage allows the vote to all citizens come of age.

“Sans-culottes”

Poorer members of the Third Estate, because they usually wore pantaloons (full-length trousers) instead of the knee-length culotte, characteristic of the Aristocracy. These were working-class people who were strong supporters of the Revolution. The costume of typical sans-culottes also featured the Phrygian red cap of liberty worn by the manumitted slaves of ancient Rome.

Coup d’État

A sudden unconstitutional deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either civil or military.

“Buffer States”

A country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers, intended to prevent conflict between them. When authentically independent, they typically pursue a neutralist foreign policy, which distinguishes them from satellite states.