This study investigates whether constitutional rights influence government behavior.
Organizational vs Individual Rights: We find a key distinction: organizational rights (unionize, form parties) increase de facto protection because they create institutions to enforce those rights.
Individual Rights Alone Not Enough: In contrast, individual rights alone lack this enforcement mechanism and thus prove less effective.
How Does This Work?:
- Organizational rights enable self-enforcing systems through collective bodies.
- Individual rights require these supporting organizations for real impact.
The Data Source: Analyzed constitutional rights data from 186 countries using advanced statistical methods. The findings suggest political science research should focus more on organizational frameworks.
