A brief history of the constitutional development of Kazakhstan
Keywords:
Constitution, Kazakhstan, statehood, constitutional development, law, historyAbstract
The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the history of Kazakhstan’s constitutional development, tracing its evolution from the early 20th-century projects of the national intelligentsia to the current Constitution of 1995. Particular attention is devoted to Barlybek Syrtanov’s «Charter of the Kazakh State», which is considered a unique political and legal document reflecting aspirations for democratic governance, parliamentary rule, and national independence. The Soviet constitutions of 1926, 1937, and 1978 are examined as instruments that consolidated the socialist model of statehood, reinforced the dominance of the Communist Party, centralized the economy, and restricted civil rights. These laws significantly influenced social development and predetermined the contradictions of the subsequent period. The 1993 Constitution of independent Kazakhstan marked an important step but failed to secure political stability and led to a crisis of representative institutions. The 1995 Constitution, adopted by nationwide referendum, established the foundations of a modern democratic, legal, and social state, affirming the separation of powers, the rule of law, and a presidential system of government. An important continuation of this process was the 2022 constitutional amendments, aimed at democratic modernization of the state and strengthening civil society institutions. The study highlights the continuity and transformation of constitutional ideas and their importance for state-building and future development.
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References
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