Abstract:
Political arguments in Tonga first became public in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The arguments revolved around the ideas of change and democracy. On one side, the advocates of change and democracy - the reformers - have demanded that the people should be allowed a greater participation in government. They argued that the Constitution granted people this right. Moreover, it is only right that people were included in government because they maintained the existing political structure. Furthermore, they pointed out that social, economic and technological progress demand that corresponding political changes are effected. If the Constitution is inadequate, it should be amended in accordance with these developments. They have gone further and proposed their own constitutional document. On the other side, government and its supporters responded by saying that the existing system of government - constitutional monarchy - was the best model of government for Tonga at this point in time. Culture, history and tradition attested the legitimacy and suitability of the existing system for Tonga. Notwithstanding the content of their arguments, both sides were committed to arguing their positions largely in constitutional terms. This study seeks to investigate the problems that exist, examine the claims of the reformers and discuss their chances of successful implementation in the future. This is done throughout the study by reference to the notions of constitutionalism and culture and how these are conceptualised in such a way that they both compel and impede the democratisation process.
