Matching Constitutional Culture and Parchment: Post-Colonial Constitutional Adoption in Mexico and Argentina

Resumen

This paper compares post-colonial constitutional choice in Mexico and Argentina. Both countries adopted internally imposed, non-evolutionary constitutions inspired by exogenous ideas.  But Argentina's founders adopted a constitution that was radically mismatched to the underlying culture, resulting in constitutional failure and military coups.  Mexico's founders, on the other hand, took great pains to adapt exogenous ideas to endogenous culture, leading to constitutional stability for Mexico.

Submission Date: 06/08/2009

Acceptance Date: 03/09/2009