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replaced: the ''New York Times'' → ''The New York Times'', June 7, 2010 → June 7, 2010, using AWB

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'''''Wiki-constitutionalism''''' is a [[neologism]] coined by political analyst [[Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez]] in a 2010 article for ''[[The New Republic]]''. The term describes the phenomenon in which national governments, particularly in [[Latin America]], rewrite their constitutions completely every few years, a habit which Lansberg-Rodriguez argues usually leads to overly strengthened executives as other branches of government will lack "the institutional legitimacy, memory, relationships, and mandate necessary to govern independently."<ref name=lr>{{cite web|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/75150/wiki-constitutionalism |title=Wiki-Constitutionalism. The strange phenomenon that's destroying Latin America. |first=Daniel |last=Lansberg-Rodriguez |work=[[The New Republic]] |date=May 25, 2010}}</ref> The term itself is an amalgam of constitution and the "ever-morphing articles on the open-source database Wikipedia." Lansberg-Rodriguez' article was later recommended for reading by ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/soviet-evil-hidden-in-plain-sight/ |title=More Recommended Reading |date=May 27, 2010 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

== Overview ==
The principal evidence cited for the existence of "Wiki-constitutionalism" is the sheer number of constitutions which have existed in Latin America when compared with other regions of the globe. If one looks at fully restructured rewrites (as opposed to amendments), "the [[Dominican Republic]] has had 32 separate constitutions since its independence in 1821. [[Venezuela]] follows close behind with 26, [[Haiti]] has had 24, [[Ecuador]] 20, and [[Bolivia]] recently passed its seventeenth"<ref name=lr/> and "over half of the 21 Latin American nations have had at least ten constitutions while, in the rest of the world, only Thailand (17), France (16), Greece (13), and Poland (10) have reached double digits."<ref name=lr/>

The original piece is highly critical of leaders such as [[Hugo Chávez]], [[Rafael Correa]] and [[Evo Morales]] who have allegedly helped prolong a self-perpetuating cycle of constitutional attrition by pushing new constitutions packaged with "ever-longer lists of promises and rights alongside greater executive functions",<ref name=cbs>{{cite web|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/75150/wiki-constitutionalism |title=Wiki-Constitutionalism|first=Daniel |last=Lansberg-Rodriguez |work=[[CBS News]] |date=May 26, 2010}}</ref> resulting in constitutions which are "not only the shortest-lived, but also among the longest in the world."<ref name=cbs/> Bolivia's and Ecuador's constitutions have 411 and 444 articles, respectively, and "read like laundry lists of guaranteed rights, such as access to mail and telephones; guarantees for culture, identity, and dignity; and shorter work-weeks."<ref name=cbs/>

== Controversy ==
After an unauthorized and inaccurate Spanish translation of the article began circulating in May 2010, controversy erupted in the [[Dominican Republic|Dominican]] press over Wiki-constitutionalism and whether the mention of Dominican President [[Leonel Fernández]] alongside Hugo Chávez, Rafael Correa, Evo Morales and Colombian president [[Álvaro Uribe]] as "attempting to tear up and revise their constitutionally mandated term limits" <ref name=cbs/> was tantamount to an accusation of his being a [[dictator]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panoramadiario.com/articulo/articulo/2/articulo-de-la-cadena-cbs-califica-al-presidente-fernandez-de-dictador/ |title=Artículo de la cadena CBS califica al presidente Fernández de dictador |language=Spanish|work=Panorama Diario |date=May 28, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barahonero.com/2010/05/la-cadena-cbs-dice-que-leonel.html |title=La cadena CBS dice que Leonel Fernández,es un "Dictador Moderno" entre un puñado de ellos |language=Spanish |work=Barahonero.com }}</ref> Ramon Morel Cerda, the former head of the Supreme Electoral Council for the Dominican Republic discussed the controversy on June 7, 2010, in an opinion piece for the "Hoy" Newspaper.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.almomento.net/news/135/ARTICLE/61711/2010-06-08.html |title=Cómo constituir un régimen dictatorial|language=Spanish |work=Hoy.com}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.theatlanticwire.com/features/view/feature/Latin-American-Constitutions--Wikipedia-1347 |title=<nowiki>Latin American Constitutions = Wikipedia</nowiki> |first=Alex |last=Eichler |date=June 1, 2010 |work=[[The Atlantic Wire]]}}

[[Category:Neologisms]]
[[Category:Latin America]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]

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Wiki-constitutionalism - Revision history

Admin: 1 revision imported

Chris the speller: replaced: the ''New York Times'' → ''The New York Times'', June 7, 2010 → June 7, 2010, using AWB