Abstract

SIQUEIRA, Julio Pinheiro Faro Homem de. The idea of constitution: a western perspective-from antiquity to 21st century. Cuest. Const. [online]. 2016, n.34, pp.169-209. ISSN 1405-9193.

This article defends the thesis on the permanence of the idea of Constitution since the Western Classic Antiquity until current days. It departs from the assumption that the Constitutional essence suffered no substantial modifications since then. It defends then that the Constitutional role is to present a better State organization and the limitation of the power exercise. Then, this is not a legal work, since it does not analyze normative texts, but a political historic work on constitution. It is also a critic to the interpretation about a great disruption on previous constitutional practice and theory during 17th/18th centuries.

Keywords : Constitution; Essence of Constitution; Western perspective; State organization; State power exercise.