Description
1901 Cuban Constitution
Book Summary
This edition presents the complete text of the first Constitution of independent Cuba in the 20th century, a foundational document that established an advanced system of fundamental rights and judicial review of laws. Within these pages, the reader will find the original articles that created the first court of unconstitutionality in Latin America, inspired by the liberal principles of the French Revolution and the U.S. Constitution. An essential work for understanding the legal and political foundations of the Cuban Republic, as well as the tensions between national sovereignty and foreign influence reflected in the controversial Platt Amendment.
What is it about?
The 1901 Cuban Constitution contains the legal text that established Cuba's institutional framework after its independence. Drafted by Luis Estévez y Romero, this constitution is distinguished by the inclusion of an extensive declaration of fundamental rights and a mechanism for the judicial review of laws, making Cuba a pioneer in Latin America in this area. The document establishes the separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and a representative democratic system, reflecting clear liberal inspiration. However, its preamble includes the legal validity of the Platt Amendment, which authorized United States intervention in Cuban internal affairs, a polemical element that profoundly marked the island's history. The work presents the complete articles, allowing the reader direct access to the provisions that governed the early years of the republic.
Main Themes
- Fundamental rights and individual guarantees in Cuban constitutionalism
- Judicial review of laws and the creation of the Court of Unconstitutionality
- Separation of powers and organization of the republican State
- Popular sovereignty and mechanisms of democratic representation
- Influence of U.S. and French constitutional law in Latin America
- The Platt Amendment and its implications for Cuban national sovereignty
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at students and researchers of constitutional law, the political history of Cuba and Latin America, as well as legal professionals interested in the sources of Ibero-American constitutionalism. It is also of great value to historians and readers curious about understanding the legal origins of the Cuban Republic and the complex relationships between formal independence and foreign influence in the Caribbean.
What this book offers
- Direct access to the original text of the first Cuban constitution of the 20th century, a primary source fundamental to the study of Latin American constitutional law
- Understanding of the innovative system of judicial control of constitutionality that anticipated legal developments in Europe
- Historical and political context on Cuba's transition to the status of an independent republic and the limitations imposed by the Platt Amendment
- Reference tool for analyzing the evolution of fundamental rights and procedural guarantees in Cuban constitutionalism
Technical Specifications
- Author: Various Authors
- Publisher: Linkgua Ediciones
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Classic texts
- Collection: Laws
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication Date: April 2025
- Number of pages: 70
- Weight: 100 g
Editorial Assessment
This edition of the 1901 Cuban Constitution offers a first-rate legal document for specialists and students. Its value lies in presenting a foundational text that combines an advanced system of individual guarantees with the controversial incorporation of the Platt Amendment, reflecting the contradictions of the early Cuban republic. The work is particularly relevant for those who study Latin American constitutional history, the judicial review of laws, or the relations between the United States and the Caribbean. Its brief and accessible format facilitates direct consultation of the original articles.