In 1789, the USA produced the first written constitution in the history of the world to establish a representative democracy under the rule of law. Article One was “The Congress.”
Congress was deliberately made number one. The sequence in the constitution was as follows:
In a nation that is democratic and representative, it is the Congress that ignites the entire political system. This is true in both theory and practice:
The Theory of Popular Sovereignty – In a representative democracy, the People are the sovereign and exercise their sovereignty mainly through their elected representatives–gathered into a Congress–who have the exclusive authority to make laws.
The Practice of Government – In a representative democracy, unless there is a Congress that makes laws the Executive (who implements them) and the Judicial (who adjudicates them) do not have a function. In practical terms, the functions of the other two branches of the government derive from the primordial authority of Congress to make laws.
There are two additional indicators that help demonstrate that the legislative branch is “the first” in terms of constitutional powers in a representative democracy.
In summary, the functions of the other two branches of government in a representative democracy are derived from the constitutional authority of the Congress to make laws. Article 4 of the Constitution of Honduras declares: The form of government is republican, democratic and representative. It is exercised by three powers: Legislative, Executive and Judicial… as always, Legislative first.
The Citizens, Their Congress and the Current Toxic Relationship
Currently, when the word “congress” is said, the vast majority of Honduran citizens have two main reactions: confusion and disgust.
These two reactions–confusion and disgust–create a vicious circle. The greater the reaction of confusion and disgust, the less interest there is in understanding such a “confusing” and “corrupt” institution; the less interest in understanding how congress works, the greater the occurrences of harmful and corrupt actions; the more harmful and corrupt actions, the more disgust and lack of desire to understand how congress functions.
This vicious circle is extremely destructive to democracy. We have to break this circle–the health of Honduran democracy depends on it; we can and must do it if we want to close the gap that separates us from living in a functioning democratic nation.
The Gap in Honduran Democracy
Congress is first because it is the foundation of a representative democracy. But in Honduras, the first thing in importance is not the first thing in the minds or the attention of the citizens. This gap between what is “most important” and “the lack of popular focus on what is most important” is the root of the main failures of the representative democratic system in the country. This must be remedied. What is number one in importance must become number one in focus.
The Mission of Congress First
Close the gap between the fundamental importance of Congress and the lack of priority focus on Congress by the people of Honduras.