Constitutional Democracy in Africa. Vol. 2

This five-volume work received a Special Commendation in the 2005 Noma Award for Publishing in Africa.

In this landmark five-volume work, constitutional democracy is portrayed as a metaphor of an edifice standing on many pillars: the rule of law, equality and justice, a market-orientated economy, and a democratic ethos. The edifice itself is constituted by a government freely elected by the popular majority, and limited in its powers by a supreme constitution with overriding legal powers.

The study examines in broad theoretical terms the structures, institutions and organising principles of constitutional, democratic government. More specifically, it considers how constitutional democracy and other various forms of government have been applied in practice in Africa. By contrasting the virtues of constitutional democracy with the shortcomings of authoritarian rule, Ben Nwabwueze elucidates his thesis that there is no better system of rule than constitutional democracy to ensure viable governance of human society, and the realisation of human potential. Finally, the author examines the conditions and changes required to instate constitutional democracy in Africa, and assesses the prospects of it being sustained.