Vol.2, No 1, 2004 pp. 7-39
UDC 342.4:340.13
CONSTITUTION AND LEGITIMACY
Proclamation, changes to and validity of the constitution,
with emphasis on the question of legitimacy as one of the principal
concepts in the theory of constitution and constitutional law theory
Milan Petrović
Faculty of Law, University of Niš, Niš
Legitimacy of constituent power is here not taken to be a pre-positive legitimacy (accorded with "natural law"). The very fact that there are nine groups of theories of natural law and that, especially in international law, "natural law" is today used as a means of arbitrariness, speak against the construction of legitimacy based on the allegedly "suprastate" law. For us, legitimacy has an empirical, thus alternative character. In our view, the most correct is M. Weber's theory of three types of legitimacy of authority: traditional, charismatic, and rational, to which one may add two more ideas: that of "social justice" and that of "common welfare". Central to this discussion is the difference between the constitution as a multitude of constitutional laws and constitution as the totality of constitutional decisions (C. Schmitt), i. e. principles based on which legitimizing ideas are concretized. Constitutional decisions define the identity of the constitution; as long as they are the same, the constitution remains the same, irrespective of the change of particular constitutional laws. Constitutional reform includes the cancellation of the previous constitution as a whole, or in parts, where constituent power remains the same. Need for constitutional reform arises mostly due to the involution of the constitution - the ever deeper constitutional crises which may end in the actual inability of the state, in both internal and external affairs. Constitutional reform can stem from certain forms of dictatorship. As dictatorship is in general one of the fundamental issues related to constitution and legitimacy, a substantial part of this paper is dedicated to comprehending this phenomenon.
Key words: constitution, legitimacy, constituent power, constitutional laws, constitutional decisions, sovereignty, revision of constitution, constitutional reform, dictatorship.
USTAV I LEGITIMITET
Donošenje, promene i važenje ustava s težištem na pitanju legitimiteta
kao jednog od osnovnih pojmova teorije ustava i ustavnog prava
Legitimitet ustavotvorne vlasti ovde se ne shvata kao prepozitivni ("prirodnopravni") legitimitet. Već same okolnosti da postoji devet grupa prirodnopravnih teorija i da se, naročito u međunarodnom pravu, "prirodno pravo" danas upotrebljava kao opravdanje samovolje, govore protiv konstrukcije legitimiteta na temeljima tobož "naddržavnoga" prava. Legitimitet ima za nas empirijski te prema tome alternativan karakter. Za nas je s toga u osnovi najispravnija teorija M. Weber-a o tri vrste legitimiteta vlasti: tradicionalnom, harizmatskom i racionalnom, kojima bi se mogle dodati još dve: ideja "socijalne pravde" i ideja "opšteg dobra". Za ovo izlaganje od ključnoga je značaja razlika između ustava kao mnoštva ustavnih zakona i ustava kao ukupnosti ustavnih odluka (C. Schmitt), to jest principa na osnovu kojih se konkretizuju legitimišuće ideje. Ustavne odluke opredeljuju identitet ustava; dok one ostaju iste i ustav je isti, bez obzira na promene određenih ustavnih zakona. Ustavna reforma je odstranjivanje do tada važećeg ustava u celini ili delimično, pri čemu ustavotvorna vlast ostaje ista. Potreba ustavne reforme nastupa najčešće usled involucije ustava - sve produbljenije ustavne krize čiji je mogući kraj akciona nesposobnost države kako u unutrašnjim tako i u međunarodnim odnosima. Do ustavne reforme mogu voditi i određeni vidovi diktature. Pošto je diktatura i inače jedna od žarišnih tačaka ustava i legitimiteta, njenom poimanju posvećen je zamašan deo ovoga rada.
Ključne reči: ustav, legitimitet, ustavotvorna vlast, ustavni zakoni, ustavne odluke, suverenitet, revizija ustava, ustavna reforma, diktatura.
