American Constitutionalism and Dualist Democracy: A Brief Reply and Critique of Ackerman’s “We the People” Philosophy

This work will attempt to provide a brief reply and critique of Bruce Ackerman’s constitutionalism. Bruce Ackerman is the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University. And he has been for the past half a century actively engaged in the interpretation of the American Constitution. His efforts have yielded deep insights into the politics of American Constitutionalism. As is natural with scholars and theorists that take on large chucks of the Constitution for interpretation, it yields supporters and critics. Ackerman’s interpretation of American constitutionalism is no exception.
Ackerman’s critics have been particularly vocal and sharp with the publication of his We the People1 books. As is the case with any such large enterprise, there is much to admire in Ackerman’s work but also a great deal of skepticism with the yield of his efforts.