Manuel García Pelayo
Encyclopedia
Manuel García Pelayo prominent Spanish
political scientist and jurist
. He was the founder of the modern Department of Political Science of the Central University of Venezuela
and was elected President of the Constitutional Court of Spain
in 1980.
Born in Corrales del Vino
, Zamora Province, García Pelayo attended high school at the Institute of Zamora (1926) and later moved to Madrid
where he studied Law at the Universidad Central
until (1934). He obtained a scholarship from the Junta de Ampliación de Estudios and studied at the University of Vienna
in Austria. When on July 18, 1936 the Spanish Civil War
started, he enlisted in the Republican army even though his father and brother were fighting for the Nationalist side. He fought in several battles and became a Captain in the General Staff
. When the civil war ended he was sent to concentration camps and put into prison until 1941. Once he was released, he married Mercedes Velásquez Fernández-Pimentel. In 1947, he was invited to teach at the Instituto de Estudios Políticos de Madrid by its director Francisco Javier Conde. In 1950, he became well-known in the academic world with the publication of a work on comparative
constitutional law
(entitled Derecho Constitucional Comparado), which became a landmark in this area for the Spanish language and went through over 20 editions.
In 1951, he travelled to Argentina
and began practicing as an attorney while teaching law at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. In 1954, taught political science at the University of Puerto Rico
until 1958 when the Department of Government and Law of the Central University of Venezuela
hired him to start a new Institute and Department of Political Science. He taught and published many books during these years until his retirement in 1979. In 1980, he returned to Spain, after an invitation from King Juan Carlos to become part in the recently created Constitutional Court of Spain
. He was then elected President of the Court, position that he occupied until 1986. The following year García Pelayo returned to Caracas, where he died in 1991 after a long illness.
The Institute of Comparative Public Law of the Universidad Carlos III of Spain was named after García Pelayo in 1997.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
political scientist and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
. He was the founder of the modern Department of Political Science of the Central University of Venezuela
Central University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
and was elected President of the Constitutional Court of Spain
Constitutional Court of Spain
thumb|300px|The [[Domenico Scarlatti]] Building located in [[Madrid]], seat of the Constitutional Court of Justice of Spain.The Constitutional Court of Spain is the highest judicial body with the power to determine the constitutionality of acts and statutes of the Spanish Government. It is...
in 1980.
Born in Corrales del Vino
Corrales del Vino
Corrales del Vino is a municipality in the province of Zamora, ....
, Zamora Province, García Pelayo attended high school at the Institute of Zamora (1926) and later moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
where he studied Law at the Universidad Central
Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a university in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of...
until (1934). He obtained a scholarship from the Junta de Ampliación de Estudios and studied at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
in Austria. When on July 18, 1936 the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
started, he enlisted in the Republican army even though his father and brother were fighting for the Nationalist side. He fought in several battles and became a Captain in the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
. When the civil war ended he was sent to concentration camps and put into prison until 1941. Once he was released, he married Mercedes Velásquez Fernández-Pimentel. In 1947, he was invited to teach at the Instituto de Estudios Políticos de Madrid by its director Francisco Javier Conde. In 1950, he became well-known in the academic world with the publication of a work on comparative
Comparative law
Comparative law is the study of differences and similarities between the law of different countries. More specifically, it involves study of the different legal systems in existence in the world, including the common law, the civil law, socialist law, Islamic law, Hindu law, and Chinese law...
constitutional law
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
(entitled Derecho Constitucional Comparado), which became a landmark in this area for the Spanish language and went through over 20 editions.
In 1951, he travelled to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and began practicing as an attorney while teaching law at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. In 1954, taught political science at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
until 1958 when the Department of Government and Law of the Central University of Venezuela
Central University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
hired him to start a new Institute and Department of Political Science. He taught and published many books during these years until his retirement in 1979. In 1980, he returned to Spain, after an invitation from King Juan Carlos to become part in the recently created Constitutional Court of Spain
Constitutional Court of Spain
thumb|300px|The [[Domenico Scarlatti]] Building located in [[Madrid]], seat of the Constitutional Court of Justice of Spain.The Constitutional Court of Spain is the highest judicial body with the power to determine the constitutionality of acts and statutes of the Spanish Government. It is...
. He was then elected President of the Court, position that he occupied until 1986. The following year García Pelayo returned to Caracas, where he died in 1991 after a long illness.
The Institute of Comparative Public Law of the Universidad Carlos III of Spain was named after García Pelayo in 1997.
Works
- Auctoritas. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Derecho, 1969
- Burocracia y tecnocracia y otros escritos. Madrid: Alianza, 1984
- Ciencia política: introducción elemental a la teoría general de sistemas. Caracas: s.n., 1975
- Las culturas del libro. Caracas: Monte Ávila, 1976
- Del mito y de la razón en la historia del pensamiento político. Madrid: Revista de Occidente, 1968
- Derecho constitucional. 5ª ed. Madrid: Manuales de la Revista de Occidente, 1959
- Derecho constitucional comparado. 4ª ed. Madrid: Alianza, 1984
- El estado de partidos. Madrid: Editorial Alianza, 1986
- El estado social y sus implicaciones. México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 1975
- La estratificación social de los países desarrollados. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Derecho, 1975
- Federico II de Suabia y el nacimiento del Estado moderno. Caracas: Fundación García Pelayo, 1994
- Las formas políticas en el antiguo Oriente. Caracas: Monte Ávila, 1993
- Idea de la política y otros escritos. Madrid: Centro de Estudios Constitucionales, 1983
- Ideología e iconología. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, 1963
- Las funciones de los parlamentos bicamerales. Caracas: Ediciones del Congreso de la República, 1971
- Los mitos políticos. Madrid: Alianza Editorial, 1981
- Obras completas. Madrid: Centro de Estudios Constitucionales, 1993. 3 v.
- Las transformaciones del Estado contemporáneo. 2ª ed. Madrid: Alianza, 1985