Traces of Conservatism in the 1932 Constitution: Discursive Politics in Its Title and Preamble
Keywords:
Conservatism, Khana Ratsadon, Constitutional Discourse, Preamble, Political LegitimacyAbstract
This article analyzes traces of conservative ideology through a discursive reading of the title and preamble of Thailand’s first permanent constitution, promulgated in 1932. It focuses on the selection of specific terms and their implicit meanings in legitimizing state authority during the transitional period from absolute monarchy to the new regime. The article argues that both the constitution’s title and preamble were not solely products of the People’s Party’s initiative, but also constituted a discursive compromise with the monarchy, which remained central to the pre-1932 structure of power. It further demonstrates that the preamble continued to emphasize the monarch’s role in authorizing the constitution, thereby revealing the persistence of conservative conceptual frameworks in shaping the meaning and design of sovereignty. By proposing that the constitution be understood not only as a legal foundation but also as a political site of ideological negotiation, this article contributes to broadening discursive approaches to Thai constitutional studies.
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