Development of the British Constitution

DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION Introduction: The constitution of almost ee!" count!" in the #o!l$ e%ists e%ists in the fo!m of a #!itten $ocument em&o$"in' the (!inci(les of 'oe!nance) Ho#ee!* the B!itish Constitution is an e%ce(tion to this fact in that it is to a la!'e e%tent an un#!itten constitution) It $oes not e%ist in the fo!m of a sin'le co$i+e$ #!itten $ocument)  The B!itish Constitution is a (!o$uct of a lon' (!ocess of  eolution) The (!esent mechan hanism an$ func functtionin' nin' of  'oe!nment in B!itain can onl" &e un$e!stoo$ if #e anal"se the (!ocess of this '!o#th)

Development of the British Constitution: The (!ocess of $eelo(ment of the B!itish Constitution can &e &!oa$l" $ii$e$ into si% main (e!io$s,./ 0n'lo-Sa%on Pe!io$ 1233 0D 4 .355 0D/ 6/ No!man Pe!io$ 1.355 0D 4 ..72 0D/ 8/ 0n'ein o! Planta'anet Pe!io$ 1..72 0D 4 .297 0D/ 2/ Tu$o! Pe!io$ 1.2970D 4 .538 0D/ 7/ Stua!t Pe!io$ 1.538 0D 4 .:.2 0D/ 5/ Hanoe! Pe!io$ 1.:.2 0D 4 .98: 0D/ 1) Anglo-Saxon Period !""AD-1"##AD) :-

 The +!st (e!io$ to #hich the '!o#th of En'lish (olitical institutions coul$ &e t!ace$ is that of Sa%on settlement) The Sa%on !ule continue$ till .355 #hen ;illiam of No!man$" conin'shi( - a sin'le soe!ei'n - #as &o!n) Besi$es @in'shi(* the institution of local 'oe!nment #as anothe! im(o!tant cont!i&ution of the 0n'lo-Sa%on (e!io$) Du!in' this (e!io$* the maAo!it" of the (o(ulation lie$ in small illa'es) Each illa'e fo!me$ a to#nshi( an$ #as a unit of local 'oe!nment) The local 'oe!nment machine!" consiste$ of a to#n assem&l" #ith ce!tain electie oce!s)

$) %orman Period 1"##-11&!) :-

 The No!man conin' #ill not le" an" ta% #ithout the a((!oal of the Pa!liament 1&/ The Pa!liament ma" a((oint a Commissione! to au$it the accounts 1c/

The Ministe!s #ill &e a((ointe$ &" the Pa!liament

1$/ The Ministe!s #ill !esi'n &efo!e the commencement of the session an$ !e(l" to an" cha!'e leele$ a'ainst them  The Pa!liament also acin's an$ lai$ un$ue st!ess u(on the !o"al (o#e!s an$ (!e!o'aties) Du!in' the !ei'n of Cha!les I1.567.52/* the conict &et#een the >in' an$ the Pa!liament $eelo(e$ into a ciil #a!) Cha!les I #as (ut on t!ial an$ e%ecute$)  The >in'shi( an$ the House of Lo!$s #e!e a&olishe$) The Pa!liament fo!mall" (!oclaime$ En'lan$ a =Common#ealth? o! Re(u&lic in .52) 0 #!itten Constitution* @no#n as the =Inst!ument of oe!nment?* #as a$o(te$ an$ Olie! C!om#ell 1.578-.579/ #as name$ Lo!$ P!otecto!) Ho#ee! the P!otecto! !an into t!ou&le #ith the Pa!liament an$ his ne# Constitution faile$) 0fte! the $eath of C!om#ell* mona!ch" #as !esto!e$ in En'lan$ #ith the c!o#nin' of Cha!les II* the thi!$ Stua!t) He t!ie$ to ma@e a com(!omise &et#een the !o"al autho!it" an$ (a!liamenta!" su(!emac") Ho#ee!* his successo!* ames II* soon afte! this ascension to the th!one* in' an$ the Pa!liament le$ to the =lo!ious Reolution? of .599 #hich sa# the oe!th!o#in' of  >in' ames II 1.597-.599/)

#) +anover Period 1*1!-1('*) :-

 The lo!ious Reolution of .599 (!e(a!e$ the '!oun$ fo! !e$e+nin' the (o#e!s of the >in' an$ the Pa!liament) In Fe&!ua!" .59* $u!in' the !ei'n of the Hanoe! $"nast"* the Pa!liament (asse$ the Bill of Ri'hts #hich is one of the most im(o!tant $ocuments in En'lish constitutional histo!") It (!oclaime$ the le'islatie su(!emac" of Pa!liament an$ !est!icte$ the (o#e!s of the Mona!ch) The Mona!ch coul$ neithe! eto an" (a!ticula! la# (asse$ &" Pa!liament no! $ela" its enfo!cement) He coul$ no lon'e! le" o! !aise an" ta% o!

ma@e !o"al a((ointments o! maintain a stan$in' a!m" $u!in' (eacetime #ithout the a((!oal of the Pa!liament)  The eents of .599-9 esta&lishe$ the outlines of the En'lish Constitution) B!itain &ecame a constitutional mona!ch") Pa!liament esta&lishe$ its su(!emac" oe! the actual (o#e!s of  the Mona!ch") Till $ate* this &asic st!uctu!e of the B!itish constitutional s"stem !emains intact)

Sources of the British Constitution:;hile $iscussin' the cha!acte!istics of the B!itish Constitution* #e ma" &!ie" $#ell u(on the sou!ces of the Constitution) The B!itish Constitution has &een $e!ie$ not f!om a sin'le sou!ce &ut f!om $ie!ent sou!ces) Fi!stl"* the!e a!e the conentions of  the Constitution) The conentions a!e those un#!itten !ules* un$e!stan$in's* (!ece$ents* customs an$ t!a$itions #hich hae &een $e+nitel" !eco'niGe$ &" the B!itish (eo(le $ue to thei! (!actical utilit" an$ !e'a!$e$ as sac!e$ la#s of the Constitution) These conentions 'oe!n some of the fun$amental (!inci(les of the B!itish Constitution li@e the soe!ei'nt" of Pa!liament an$ Ministe!ial !es(onsi&ilit" to the Pa!liament) In fact* the #o!@a&ilit" of the B!itish Constitution is &ase$ on these conentions) Secon$l"* the!e a!e the '!eat cha!te!s an$ a'!eements #hich $e+ne an$ !e'ulate the (o#e!s of the C!o#n an$ !i'hts of  citiGens* etc) Some of the im(o!tant $ocuments amon' these a!e- Ma'na Ca!ta 1.6.7/* Bill of Ri'hts 1.59/* etc)  The thi!$ im(o!tant sou!ce of the B!itish Constitution a!e the statutes 1la#s/ (asse$ &" the Pa!liament f!om time to time) Some of the im(o!tant statutes of the B!itish Pa!liament inclu$e Refo!m 0ct of .986* Pa!liament 0ct of ...* Statute of  ;estminste!* .8.* In$ian In$e(en$ence 0ct of .2:* etc)  The fou!th im(o!tant sou!ce of the B!itish Constitution a!e the  Au$icial $ecisions inolin' the Au$'ments an$ inte!(!etations of the B!itish cou!ts #hich $e+ne the sco(e an$ limitations of  the $ie!ent cha!te!s* statutes an$ common la# of En'lan$)

Fifthl"* the!e a!e some eminent #o!@s #!itten &" autho!ities li@e Ma"Js T!eatise on the La#* P!iile'es* P!ocee$in's an$ Usa'es of Pa!liament* 0)V) Dice"Js La# of the Constitution* etc) Finall" an$ si%thl"* the!e is #hat is @no#n as the common la# com(!isin' !ules an$ (!inci(les &ase$ u(on the customs an$ t!a$itions of the B!itish societ" an$ $ecisions ma$e &" Au$'es)

Conclusion: The main !eason &ehin$ #!itin' this (a(e! #as m" (e!sonal fascination to#a!$s a count!" #hich #as once u(on a time so (o#e!ful that it #as consi$e!e$ that the sun nee! set u(on B!itain)  The secon$ !eason #as m" cu!iosit" #ith !e'a!$s to the hae a #!itten constitutionK If a #!itten constitution fo! the futu!e is to &e (!e(a!e$* it must &e one that en'a'es an$ inoles ee!"one* es(eciall" "oun' (eo(le* an$ not sim(l" le'al e%(e!ts an$ (a!liamenta!ians) Some of the m"sti