Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Premessa. – 2. Bolingbroke versus Walpole: opposizione parlamentare ed opinione pubblica politica nel Settecento inglese. – 3. Il recupero della tradizione repubblicana nelle prassi di opposizione patriottica. – 4. Bolingbroke e la teoria costituzionale whig: verso l’affermazione del Responsible government. – 5. Il recupero della tradizione repubblicana nella cultura politica nordamericana. – 6. I percorsi di codificazione della forma di governo ed il ruolo dell’impeachment. – 7. Procedimento giurisdizionale o sanzione politica? Il fragile compro- messo di Filadelfia. – 8. La progressiva emersione di un regime di responsabilità del Presidente federale. – 9. La prassi parlamentare ottocentesca e novecentesca e le pressioni per la politicizzazione dell’impeachment. – 10. Una conclusione: recuperare un percorso comune.

Abstract

The essay addresses – from a comparative constitutional history perspective – two landmarks of the institutional development in England and United States: the origin of parliamentary opposition practices in England during the 18th Century, characterized by the political initiative and the theoretical efforts of Lord Bolingbroke, and the impeachment debate within the federal Constitution of United States. It is assumed that the above moments created the theoretical background and the constitutional bases for the definition of political accountability in both governments. Albeit differing in the subsequent institutional outcomes, both moments witness the presence of ideal traditions common to the anglo-american constitutionalism: the discussion regarding issues of government and institutions and regarding the related concealed political fight took place in England and North America following common patterns and was influenced by arguments originating from the same sources, which derived from the republican rhetorical tradition.