Tongan Political Reform : The Odd-One-Out in Pacific Politics

The nationalist ideal prescribes that government and authority should fit cultural values and ideas, but constitutions have come into being especially in the former colonial world in order to ensure that justice, fairness, good governance and opportunity are protected from the influences of culture. Constitution-making in the Pacific Islands therefore invariably reflected non-Pacific cultural values and ideas. Tonga is unique in the antiquity of its constitution was adopted in 1875 specifically to demonstrate to the international community that Tonga had a government that was differentiated from culture, and therefore able to meet international requirements for recognition and independence. Over the next century, culture adapted to the constitution and constitutional practice evolved towards culture. In the 1980s the rapprochement of culture and constitutional practice showed incidents of misgovernment and injustice, leading to a protest and reform movement, which if successful, would sharpen the distinction between constitution and culture. Constitutional reform ultimately came about less because of popular pressure than because of royal preference. Despite the apparent popularity of the reform movement, there was little public support for constitutional revision. The reforms as adopted preserve for Tonga a constitution which is in closer accord with current cultural ideas than elsewhere in the Pacific, and are unique in being the product of an exclusively Tongan dialogue