The American Constitution : democratic 'checks and balances'

Abstract

In July 1976, the United States of America will be celebrating the bicentenary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and, naturally, a whole nation will be nostalgically reviewing the many landmarks which colour and give meaning to the two hundred years of United States history. As usually happens on such occasions, special attention will be devoted co the very origins of the United States and, no doubt, also to the day when the thirteen rebellious former British colonial settlements took the plunge and decided to draft a constitution that would unite this nation, still in its early stages of existence, as well as to its eventual development into the really democratic and, at the same time, practical instrument of government which America has today.