Evolution of Democracy in European and Ukrainian Constitutional Frameworks (18th-20th Centuries)

Lesia Khudoiar; Denys Chyzhov; Larysa Poliakova; Halyna Senkivska; Vira Yavir

doi:10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI1.2.447

Authors

Lesia Khudoiar Koretsky Institute of State and Law of NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2386-1869
Denys Chyzhov Educational and Scientific Institute of Law and Psychology of the National Academy of Internal Affairs; Institute of State Building and Local Self-Government of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4843-0670
Larysa Poliakova Bogdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University, Zaporizhia, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8579-4377
Halyna Senkivska Kremenets Taras Shevchenko Regional Academy of Humanities and Pedagogy, Kremenets, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6360-9807
Vira Yavir V. M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1854-5012

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI1.2.447

Keywords:

democratic principles, European constitutions, the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk, popular sovereignty, human rights, historical and legal analysis

Abstract

The study of the development of democratic principles in the European constitutions of the eighteenth century and their impact on the formation of Ukrainian constitutionalism is relevant in analyzing the historical and legal foundations of democracy. The Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk deserves special attention as a unique document that integrates democratic ideas in the context of the national liberation struggle. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of European democratic principles on the formation of Ukraine’s legal, social, and cultural foundations, highlighting the role of democratic traditions in shaping both constitutional development and civic identity. The research methodology is based on historical, comparative, systematic, content analysis and chronological methods. The study identifies the critical democratic principles enshrined in the European constitutions of the eighteenth century, such as popular sovereignty, separation of powers and guarantees of human rights, and their impact on Ukrainian legislation. The analysis of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk shows its uniqueness as a document that combines democratic ideas with traditional customary law. It is established that European constitutions have influenced the formation of modern Ukrainian constitutionalism by integrating fundamental democratic values. The practical importance of the study lies in its potential to inform and enhance the ongoing reform of the Ukrainian legal system, aligning it with European standards and reinforcing the processes of democratic society in the present era. The study also considers the socio-cultural dimension of democracy, exploring how constitutional principles influenced Ukrainian societal structures and cultural identity during key historical periods.

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