Fundamentals of Democracy (1) - Germany / Federal Republic of Germany 1981 - 40 Pfennig

The German Federal Post Office begins a new special postage stamp series "Basic Thoughts of Democracy" with three stamps, which refer to basic principles of the state organization: 40 Pf - Rechtsstaat; 50 Pf - separation of powers; 60 Pf - People's sovereignty. All three principles are laid down for our constitutional order in Article 20 of the Basic Law (GG), which has also been called a "constitution in short form". Legislation is governed by constitutional order, executive power and jurisdiction are bound by law and law. The provision can be found in Art. 20 (3) Basic Law. The rule of law is one of the fundamental principles of our constitution. The idea of ​​the rule of law contains several elements, above all the idea of ​​justice (the goal of state action must be the production and preservation of material justice) and the idea of ​​legal certainty (establishment of legal peace in society: every citizen must know what he is on, eg in case of dispute by a final judgment). But also important is the quoted on the stamp principle of the priority of the law: the expressed by the - itself bound to the constitutional order - Legislative will has priority over all other state expressions of will and binds executive and judicial power. In addition, the administration has to orientate its actions on the principle of proportionality. (Text: Federal Ministry of the Interior, Bonn)