《北美英语国家研究教程》参考答案.pdf

Unit1

ConstitutionalPoliticsintheU.S.andCanada

BeforeYouRead

1

Aconstitutionservesasacornerstoneofgovernance,providingaframeworkthat

shapesthelegal,political,andsocietallandscapeofacountry.Itssignificanceliesin

establishingfundamentalprinciples,delineatinggovernmentalpowers,and

safeguardingindividualrights.

InboththeUnitedStatesandCanada,constitutionsplayapivotalrole,albeitwith

distinctcharacteristics.Bothcountriesoperateunderfederalsystems,withwritten

constitutionsandprotectionsforindividualliberties.However,differencesemergein

theirhistoricaldevelopment,theirconstitutions’amendmentprocesses,andtheroleof

monarchy.WhiletheU.S.Constitutionoriginatedintheaftermathofrevolutionand

hasarigorousamendmentprocess,Canada’sconstitutionalevolutionincludes

significantdevelopmentslikethepatriationin1982andthemaintenanceofa

constitutionalmonarchy.

Comparingtheconstitutionalpoliticsofthesetwocountriesiscrucialfor

understandinghowdifferentapproachestogovernance,federalism,andrights

protectionshapepoliticalinstitutionsandprocesses.Itprovidesvaluableinsightsinto

thestrengthsandweaknessesofvariousconstitutionalmodelsandinforms

discussionsonreform,federal-staterelations,andtheprotectionofrightsindiverse

contexts,fosteringcross-culturalunderstandingandtheexchangeofbestpracticesin

constitutionaldesign.

2

Originalismreferstointerpretingaconstitutionbasedonitstextandtheintended

meaningofitscreatorsatthetimeitwaswritten.Itadherescloselytothewordsofthe

textandtheintentionsofitsframers.

Noninterpretivism,alsoknownaslivingconstitutionalism,holdsthataconstitution

shouldevolvetoreflectthechangesandneedsofmodernsociety.Thisapproach

emphasizesthebroadprinciplesoftheconstitutionratherthanstrictlyadheringtothe

framers’ori