Written Constitution: . process. A presidential constitution is, in which all administrative powers are vest by the president of the country. To understand the meaning and types of constitution, it is important to know that there are two kinds of constitution. The United Kingdom can modify its constitutional law by statute (or even in important areas by conventions between the supreme institutional powers of the state: the crown, Parliament, and the cabinet). As a result, the legislature cannot blame the executive for the non-implementation of the nations policies. 6. \(\overset{\underset{\mathrm{def}}{}}{=} \). Republican Constitution is a constitution that provides the position of head of the state who is commonly known as President. The U.S. Constitution, at roughly 7,000 words, is a model of brevity, and many constitutions in Western countries are only slightly longer. It is among the most stable law structure and is best suited for an emergency period in a country. Article 368 of the Indian Constitution provides the procedure of Amendment. Unfortunately, in such a scenario, a rigid set of laws make it very difficult to institute the necessary changes. . In contrast, a flexible constitution is one in which the legislature may amended the constitutions content and principles through use of the ordinary legislative process. Constitution is believed to be two types written and unwritten, then these two have various classification such as Rigid, Flexible etc but here you listed them as types of constitution. Nevertheless, statutes and common-law principles of constitutional import cannot be changed as easily as other statutes and rules and are generally treated as permanent. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. This is one of the major criticisms of a flexible constitution. Rigid constitutions are those, which require a special procedure for the amendment. In other words, the concept of a constitution is to provide facility people. Integrated and Independent Judiciary 9. In particular, proposed amendments to the Constitution and other types of constitutional laws (see Question 1) must undergo two successive debates in each House of . Advantages and disadvantages of democracy, READ ALSO: 18 local governments in Cross River state and their headquarters. For passing or amending an ordinary law, the . Whereas, there may not be an ideal or desirable change of the constitution by the government in a flexible constitution. 4 It prevents the autocratic exercise of powers by the government 5 It is ideal for a federation. You might want to see the problems of democracy here. While they can be equipped with the necessary skills for many years, it does not necessarily mean that the person has the inborn will to lead people. Instead of a 50% + 1 majority, a 2/3, 3/5 or 3/4 majority is required. We're sorry, but in order to log in and use all the features of this website, you will need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Areas neglected for political reasons can be left out of development agendas. A written constitution is rigid and hence will be more stabie 5. will. A unitary constitution is one of a kind of constitution that provides for the powers of government to focus on a single central government. I will be glad to hear from you! 1. One common way to amend the constitution is to increase the threshold of consent within parliament compared to ordinary legislature. Thus, the principle of the rule of lawroughly the equivalent of the American due process principlehas been an essential element of the British constitution since approximately the late 17th century. The different types of constitutions have their merits and demerits and instances in which they are best suited. He may be the king, president, chief, the emblem of the state and the Father or mother of the nation. He also implement all the laws enact by the current parliament. A republican constitution provides for the position of a head of state, typically elected by the people for a fixed term in office. However, most times a flexible constitution is written and it is usually in the form of a unitary constitution. It can be viewed as a contract between the people and the government. The Supreme Court has declared government regulation should be scrutinized very strictly when it infringes on a protected liberty (like procreation or marriage) or a protection action (like political speech), or when it unfairly discriminates against a protected class (like race or national origin). There are no elections costs in monarchs. This might result in the abandonment of more pressing issues, especially in highly progressive countries. Rigid Constitution: The Rigid Constitution is one which cannot be easily amended. At times, unwritten laws can result in considerable instability. CONSTITUTION Article 8 Sovereignty of the people 1. For federal governments, a written constitution provides for the separation of central and federal power. A. V. Diceydefines a rigid constitution as one under which certain laws, calledconstitutional lawsorfundamental lawscannot be changed in the same manner as ordinary laws. A rigid constitution set forth specific legal/constitutional obstacles to be overcome before it may be amended, such as special approval of the people by referendum, a supermajority or special majority in thelegislature, or both. In countries with low literacy levels and poor. Written and Unwritten constitutionA written constitution is one in which the fundamental principles concerning state administration are embodied and which has, as a specific document, been passed by a specific body So a written constitution can be produced and shown as a . It is very definite, removing any drawbacks that uncertainties can bring about. Top primary values and principles of constitutional democracy. Therefore, the people have little to no say on matters of whoever governs the country. He is the head of government and the head of the majority party, but not the head of state. It is said that such a constitution is not ideal for a democracy. In todays article, i will be sharing with you the differences between a rigid and flexibile constitution. This process results in unnecessary delays that do not exist in other forms of constitutions, such as monarchs. Democracies often have high levels of corruption since they are primarily based on electoral competition. (Of course, there exists the further possibility of change, in both cases, through the extreme means of a popular revolution or a military coup dtat.) This system works great for extremely large countries such as the USA and Australia. It fails to keep pace with the changed social, economic and political conditions of the country. Am having exam tomorrow and this what im going to read for the exam, Great work here but I need more clarity. The bureaucracy in democracies leads to unnecessary delays in decision making. A. V. Dicey defines a rigid constitution as one under which certain laws, called constitutional laws or fundamental laws "cannot be changed in the same manner as ordinary laws." Nevertheless, a rigid constitution does not by itself guarantee the stability and continuity of a countrys constitutional law. It does not allay the fear of ethnic domination of the minority by the majority people or religion in a multi-ethnic country. Federalism in India. It can easily result in administrative instability. Federal System with Unitary Bias 5. The law improves the overall quality of decision making. Merits of Flexible Constitution. The legislative, executive and judicial powers of government are separated under the Nigerian Constitution. CZAR NICHOLAS II of Russia, EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE OF Ethiopia and King Reza Palavi, Shah of Iran, were examples of absolute rulers. of. This is equally an eye opener to young students all over the world on this topic. Indeed, written constitutions can never exhaust the whole constitutional law of a state. The ruling class cannot use the constitution to further its narrow interest. This type of constitution may be amended just like any statute, with a simple majority of vote of the members of the parliament. There are laid down procedures for dealing with conflicts and differences. Constitutional Monarch: This is a type of Monarchical constitution where the monarchy is a ceremonial head of state and a symbol of the nation with only limited powers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A rigid constitution is one that cannot be easily . At times, amendments are extremely necessary. Kinds Rigid or inelastic Flexible or elastic. be. Although amendment can be possible when is seems necessary. It depends rather on the peoples attitude concerning the fundamental political values the legal system ought to honour. Nonetheless, I will still give you a comprehensive explanation of the differences between flexible and rigid constitution as we continue. Typically, constitutions contain the basic laws and principles of nations, social groups, or states. The Constitution is the creature of the State. There are different types of constitutions under the monarchical setup. This answer has two elements. It is free from the perils of temporary popular passion. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. On the other hand, a rigid constitution is a type of constitution, which has a cumbersome or long amendment procedures. This continued until when I was about to represent my school in a political science competition. Since the presidents tenure is fixed, the country has more stability since it is highly unlikely to have an unplanned shift in power. Here are the main ups and downs of a flexible constitution. The system allows economic, social, and political experimentation since power is shared across different states. Constitutions worldwide are categorized into different types on the basis of their physical form and the procedure laid down to make changes in them. Top details about affirmative action pros and cons. This means that the powers and limitations of government, as well as the rights and duties of citizens, are set in stone and cannot easily be altered. The laws, in this case, are quite elastic, drastically reducing the chances of a revolution by the people. Having representatives makes government more efficient, resulting in faster and better implementation of the peoples will. Human cloning pros and cons: Ethics vs. scientific progress. Studies that used different scales to measure a country's difficulty of amending its constitution do not categorize the Japanese Constitution as the most rigid constitution. When the amendment procedure is too simple, the laws can be overly influenced by popular passion. very frequent. The judiciary tends to overplay its role in a country governed by an unwritten law. This time of constitution is good for a small country, kindred people or a homogeneous population. There is a clear separation of powers among the executive, legislature, and judiciary. There is better coordination between the legislature and the executive. The Constitution, though Supreme, is normally flexible and not rigid, as the government has the power to amend it as needed. endments. A rigid constitution protects minority peoples and other disadvantaged groups. According to Friedrick, "The great and . A state with such a constitution, he observed, is at best in the disagreeable position of a British traveler whom a hospitable Chinese entertainer has constrained to eat a dinner with chopsticks. Most times, democracies turn into competitions for power play, completely disregarding morality. Federations tend to be more democratic since leaders are answerable at multiple levels, not only the top government. But there is stability in government with a rigid constitution, since it cannot be easily changed to suit the interest of just one person. In fact, however, many parts of the British constitution exist in written form; for this reason, most scholars prefer to classify it as uncodified rather than unwritten. The president has sweeping powers, a factor that may give rise to patronage when they appoint their close friends to powerful positions. what are the differences between rigid and flexible Constitution. Unless specified, this website is not in any way affiliated with any of the institutions featured. Democracy is a government of the people, who participate in government either directly, or through representatives. The federal constitution does not tolerate infringement. Such systems seem to work best in small nations and communities. Today, we will discuss those different types of constitution. Due to the ease of amendment, a flexible constitution may be amended hastily and unwisely for a selfish or sectional purpose. This will go a long way to help you understand the differences as we continue. Monarchs can easily impose their personal beliefs and preferences on the people. Constitutions also can be classified as rigid or flexible. Those that are rigid stipulate that at least some part of the constitution cannot be modified by the same procedures used to enact statutory law. It is premised on stability and performance. Democracy, therefore, loosely translates to the peoples rule. 2. The procedure for Amending the constitution is usually cumbersome, expensive and time consuming whereas, a flexible constitution can be easily amended. 21. The constitution of 1946 was passew when the Westminster Style Parliamentary Constitution was enacted in the country. The judiciary. It protects the peoples rights through law and order. The people can experience slow government response on matters such as defence and emergencies. Difference between rigid and flexible constitution Previous Post Sources of the Indian Constitution A rigid constitution cannot be easily amended. ABSOLUTE MONARCH :- In Monarchal constitution, the king have absolute power and is a perfect ruler. In contrast, the constitution of India extends to hundreds of pages. On the other hand, in rigid constitutions, people can easily feel that the current laws do not address their needs and turn to revolutions to get their way. Organizing and providing relevant educational content, resources and information for students. to. An unwritten constitution is not contained in a single document and can exist partly in word and partly in writing. Both the laws are enacted in the same manner and their source is also same. Rigid Constitutionis aconstitutionwhich stands above the other laws of the country, while flexible constitutions do not. 3. The word democracy is derived from two Greek words, demos and kratia. The former means people while the latter means government or rule. Here are the main pros and cons of a unitary constitution. In most cases, the head of state is known as the president. Each body exercises its assigned functions and powers. Flexible and Rigid Constitution A flexible constitution is a constitution, which can be easily amended or changed without a cumbersome procedure. In addition, this system recognizes a citizens right to exit a state. Drawn from Various Sources 3. In contrast, the federal constitution provides different structure of government in national, state and local councils. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of an unwritten constitution. Even though I understood the meaning of all the types of constitution she thought, I was unable to differentiate between them. 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However, a written constitution is not always rigid, but may be flexible and easy to amend. A written constitution, is a type of constitution which contain a single document and can be easily obtain and negotiate on any subject under discussion. On the other hand, a written constitution is among the three main types of constitutions and is contained in a single document and can be easily consulted on pretty much every issue contained therein. This type of constitution may be amended just like any statute, with a simple majority of vote of the members of the parliament. [1] [2] Nigeria has had many constitutions. CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCH :- This is a kind of constitutional Monarchy in which the monarchy is the head of a ceremonial empire and a symbol of a nation. Revolution by the president has sweeping powers, a 2/3, 3/5 or 3/4 majority is required a... Good for a democracy to be more stabie 5. will according to,... 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