La libertad de imprenta como premisa de la primera Constitución racional-normativa española: La Constitución de Cádiz de 1812

Present contribution studies the role that freedom of the press fulfilled during the first constitutional experience in Spain. Within the study of the context of its recognition it is observed that Freedom of the press was achieved before de facto rather than de iure. This circumstance made possible the circulation of all kind of documents which also contributed to the exchange of ideas about the new State model. From the study of the main reasons that motivated the approval of the Press Decree of 1810 can be inferred that Courts did not only conceive Freedom of the press as a mere individual right that enabled the free development of personality, but also as a right that was expected to fulfill important functions in the new political model that was intended to be established. This idea is corroborated by the analysis of the constituent process and the work environment of the institutions created in the 1812 Constitution. With reference to the constituent process, it is observed that previous to the approval of a Constitution that could be called as rational- regulatory, it was compulsory to recognize and guarantee the Freedom of the press. Finally, and related to the work environment of the new liberal institutions, the aforementioned public liberty was entirely necessary as it allowed the citizens the supervision and control of the political power’s exercise among other issues.La presente aportación estudia el papel que desempeñó la libertad de imprenta durante la primera experiencia constitucional en España. En el examen del contexto de su reconocimiento se observa que la libertad de imprenta se alcanzó antes de facto que de iure, circunstancia que facilitó enormemente la libre circulación de todo tipo de escritos y que, asimismo, coadyuvó al intercambio de ideas sobre el nuevo modelo de Estado. Del estudio de las principales razones que motivaron la aprobación del Decreto de imprenta de 1810 se desprende que las Cortes no concibieron la libertad de imprenta exclusivamente como un derecho individual que posibilitaba el libre desarrollo de la personalidad sino que, además, se trataba de un derecho llamado a desempeñar importantes funciones en el nuevo modelo político que deseaban implantar. Idea que corrobora el análisis del proceso constituyente y del funcionamiento de las instituciones creadas por la Constitución de 1812. Concretamente, en referencia al proceso constituyente, se observa que con carácter previo a la aprobación de una Constitución digna de ser calificada como racional-normativa, fue imprescindible reconocer y garantizar la libertad de imprenta. Y, en relación al funcionamiento de las nuevas instituciones liberales, la citada libertad pública era del todo necesaria, dado que, entre otras cuestiones, posibilitó a los españoles fiscalizar y controlar el ejercicio del poder político.Present contribution studies the role that freedom of the press fulfilled during the first constitutional experience in Spain. Within the study of the context of its recognition it is observed that Freedom of the press was achieved before de facto rather than de iure. This circumstance made possible the circulation of all kind of documents which also contributed to the exchange of ideas about the new State model. From the study of the main reasons that motivated the approval of the Press Decree of 1810 can be inferred that Courts did not only conceive Freedom of the press as a mere individual right that enabled the free development of personality, but also as a right that was expected to fulfill important functions in the new political model that was intended to be established. This idea is corroborated by the analysis of the constituent process and the work environment of the institutions created in the 1812 Constitution. With reference to the constituent process, it is observed that previous to the approval of a Constitution that could be called as rational- regulatory, it was compulsory to recognize and guarantee the Freedom of the press. Finally, and related to the work environment of the new liberal institutions, the aforementioned public liberty was entirely necessary as it allowed the citizens the supervision and control of the political power’s exercise among other issues