Modern Constitutions

The world has seen many new constitutions promising social rights and adopting innovative representative institutions. This book presents examples from the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia that show these constitutions face many challenges, especially the rise of authoritarian regimes that endanger the rule of law.

Rogers M. Smith is the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author or coauthor of eight books, most recently That Is Not Who We Are! Populism and Peoplehood. Richard R. Beeman (1942-2016) was the John Welsch Centennial Professor History, Emeritus, at the University of Pennsylvania. He was the author of eight books including Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Forging of American Independence, 1774-1776.