Before you read
Study the following definitions of CONSTITUTION. Which of them best matches your understanding of the concept?
1 A body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be.
2 The body of doctrines and practices that form the fundamental organizing principle of a political state.
3 The basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people.
Text A
The Concept and History of Constitution
The idea of a constitution was first elaborated by Aristotle in his classification of governments as monarchies, tyrannies, aristocracies, oligarchies, democracies, and so on. For Aristotle, the best form of government the best constitution was that which combined elements of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy in such a way that the citizens of every class were enabled to enjoy their respective privileges and encouraged to exercise their respective responsibilities in the interest of the whole society.
A constitution, to be worthy of the name, must contain provisions for certain political attributes: stability, both of form and of procedure; yet, on the other hand, adaptability to the social, economic, technological, and other changes that are inevitable in the life of a state; accountability of those in power to some other organ of the state, such as an electorate; representation of the governed within the government; openness in the conduct of government; and division of power among distinct branches of government. Constitutional government is thus limited government, and it is a chief function of a constitution to serve as the standard of legitimacy by which governments may be judged.
In its wider sense, the term constitution means the whole scheme whereby a country is governed; and this includes much else besides law. The constitutional lawyer must constantly keep glancing backward into constitutional history; he must also keep his eye on current political practice and the day-to-day working of political institutions. In its narrower sense, constitution means the leading legal rules, usually collected into some document that comes to be almost venerated as The Constitution. But no countrys constitution can ever be compressed within the compass of one document, and even where the attempt has been made, it is necessary to consider the extralegal rules, customs, and conventions that grow up around the formal document.
Vocabulary
accountability n ,
adaptability n ,
attribute n , , ,
branch n , , ; branches of government
compass n , ; within the compass of
compress v ,
conduct n ,
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convention n ,
custom n ,
day-to-day adj
distinct adj , ,
elaborate v / ,
electorate n
enable v (-.) (-. )
encourage v , ;
exercise v , ,
extralegal adj ,
govern v , ; (the) governed n , /
government n ,
grow up v , ( ..)
inevitable adj ,
judge v ,
keep glancing backward
keep ones eye on -., -.
legitimacy n ()
monarchy n
oligarchy n
privilege n , ; enjoy privilege
provision n , (),
representation n
respective adj , (-.)
responsibility n , ,
tyranny n ,
venerate v ,
whereby adv ,
worthy adj ,
Reading tasks
A Answer these questions.
1 Who was the first person to introduce the idea of a constitution?
2 What kind of government did Aristotle consider to be the best?
3 What political provisions must a true constitution contain?
4 Why is constitutional government limited?
5 What is a chief function of a constitution?
6 What does the term constitution mean in a narrower sense and a wider sense?
B Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and expressions.
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2
3
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9 /
Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text.
1 The idea of a constitution was first elaborated by English philosophers.
2 Peoples interests didnt play great role in Aristotles view of the best form of government and the best constitution.
3 A constitution must be adaptable to changes occurring in the life of a community.
4 Accountability of those in power to an electorate is one of the necessary provisions of a constitution.
5 Division of power among distinct branches of government is unnecessary in a democratic society.
6 A constitution is a kind of scheme whereby a country is governed.
7 The constitution of any country can be compressed within the compass of one document.
Language focus
Complete these sentences with the past simple passive form of the verbs in brackets.
Did you know ?
1 The concept of a constitution ___________ (elaborate) by Aristotle.
2 A lot of elements __________ (combine) in the best form of government.
3 The citizens of every class __________ (encourage) to exercise their respective responsibilities in the interest of the whole society.
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4 Governments __________ (judge) by a constitution as the standard of legitimacy.
5 The term constitution meant the whole scheme whereby a country _______ (govern).
6 No attempts _________ (make) to compress the constitution within the compass of one document.
Text B
