This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Richardson, J. T. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Religion, Constitutional Courts, and Democracy in Former Communist Countries

University of Nevada

This article offers two main arguments, both of which have important corollaries. First, the author argues that religion, and a specific form of religion, played a major role in the downfall of communism and the Soviet Union. Acorollary is that religious motivations furnished important impetus to the development of democracy in former communist countries (FCC). Second, the author argues that courts, and more specifically constitutional courts in FCC, played a major role in promoting democracy in those nations. A corollary to that assertion is that constitution courts in most FCC have demonstrated considerable respect for and promotion of the role of religion in FCC. These assertions and their corollaries are discussed in light of scholarly studies on the place of religion in the modern constitutionalism movement in former colonial and communist countries.

Key Words: religion • constitutional courts • democracy • former communist countries • Hungary • Russia • Catholic Church

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 603, No. 1, 129-138 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0002716205281634


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?