Material constitutionalism and the politics of anti-oligarchy

This thesis argues that so-called material approaches to constitutionalism provide valuable resources for theorizing anti-oligarchic democratic innovations. In particular, it focuses on the justification and democratizing potential of constitutionalizing authoritative class-specific political institutions, that is, institutions of exclusive access to nonwealthy and/or working-class citizens. In order to achieve that aim, the thesis explores the meaning of the idea of material constitutionalism, distinguishes between conservative and progressive conceptions of it, and gives a sustained defence of the latter. It fleshes out the general economic causes of ordinary citizens’ political disempowerment under contemporary capitalist states, establishes the importance of a popular understanding of democracy, and explains some of the benefits of employing classspecific political institutions to redress oligarchization. It also discusses particular interpretations of progressive material constitutionalism, namely, so-called plebeian and socialist alternatives, and defends the normative superiority of the latter. In a nutshell, the argument is that such is the case because socialist constitutionalism gets better the purpose of class-specific political institutions, which ought to aim at eroding the class barriers that trigger the need for them, instead of regulating class conflict and divisions. Socialist constitutionalism offers a distinctively transitional justification for class-specific political institutions. On this account, their legitimacy depends on their ability to expand, in time, meaningful democracy and more inclusionary arrangements – which requires the erosion of socio-economic class divisions. In turn, I argue that this viewpoint opens up the possibility of a partial reconciliation between liberal constitutionalism and progressive material constitutionalism – as the most serious objections coming from the former camp can be replied to through the resources of socialist constitutionalism.