Constitutional Democracy and the

New Iraq
Building
Democracy in
the Land of
Civilization

Prepared by Dr. Tom G. Palmer

Cato Institute
tpalmer@cato.org
Basic Principles of Constitutional
Democracy
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 The people delegate power to
government and choose their
representatives by free and fair
elections.
 The People Are the Source of
Legitimate Political Power
Government has only The people do not
the powers the people serve the
choose to delegate. government.
The people choose Government serves
their representatives the people and is
through elections that limited in its powers
are open to by the basic law: the
opposition candidates Constitution.
and parties.
 The Rights of the People Are
Constitutionally Protected
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Those Rights Include (But Are Not
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 An effective Constitution is not merely a
wish list of things todays majority
wants.
An effective
Constitution is
like the
architecture of a
well built house
that must last for
many
generations.
The various parts of an effective
Constitution reinforce the whole
structure
 An Effective Constitution Is
Enforceable
An effective An effective
Constitution is not Constitution provides
merely what a majority clear signals of when it
wants, but what all can has been violated and
reasonably expect incentives to political
others to agree to. It groups and interests to
restrains the majority protect the Constitution,
from doing what they even when violating it
might want now, but may be in their short-
which would weaken or term interest.
even destroy the whole
Constitutional order if
enacted.
Maintaining the Constitution
must be more important than
getting a special advantage by
violating it.
 An effective Constitution is simple and clear
enough that any literate and basically educated
person can understand its principles

An effective
Constitution is
not so
complicated or
so long that
citizens cannot
understand it.
 Incentives and Institutions Matter
Incentives give
signals to rational
actors about what will
advance their
purposes
Institutions give form
to incentives
What incentives do
different people have
to create light?
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1980
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1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
India

1997
China

1998
1999
The Size of Government Matters,

2000
2001
22.1
28.5

2002
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Greater Wealth

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1989
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China

1996
1997
Smaller Government Leads to

1998
1999
India

2000
2001
2002
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6&&*
7+ . &89:
Basic Principles of Constitutional
Democracy
The Word Freedom Was First
Written in Iraq: Liberty and Law
Originated in Iraq

The word ama-gi, freedom, from a tablet in the ancient

city of Lagash,Telloh in contemporary Iraq
 * . )# '
+
Iraqis Now Have the Opportunity to
Secure Their Freedom by Law

Creating and nurturing Iraqi democracy will

require your wisdom, your energy, your
strength, and your love of your country. A
free, independent, and democratic Iraq is
your right. You can make it happen.