- •Министерство Финансов Российской Федерации Всероссийская государственная налоговая академия Legal English - 1
- •Unit 2 What Law Is
- •Vocabulary
- •Chapter II sources of law Unit 3 Sources of English Law
- •The Sources of English Law
- •The Principal Sources
- •Legislation
- •Judicial precedent
- •The Subsidiary Sources
- •Customs
- •Books of authority
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 4 Sources of Modern Law
- •Text a Historical and Political Background
- •Text b Common Law Systems
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •For You to Know
- •Text d Sources of American law
- •Vocabulary
- •Text e Continental Systems
- •For You to Remember
- •Vocabulary
- •Chapter III constitutions Unit 5 The History of Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b Characteristics of Constitutions
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 6 British Constitution
- •The Nature of the Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 7 us Constitution
- •Founding of the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •13 States convention written constitution
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter IV the system of government Unit 9 The British Government of Today
- •Text a The Governmental Model
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text b The British Parliament
- •Vocabulary
- •The System of Government
- •Stages of a Government Bill
- •The House of Commons
- •The House of Lords
- •Making New Law
- •Text d The Prime Minister and the Cabinet
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 10 The American Government of Today
- •System of Government in the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 11 The System of Checks and Balances
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Checks and Balances
- •Unit 12 Law-making Process in the usa
- •Text a The Concept of Bicameral Legislature
- •How Congress Makes Laws
- •Vocabulary
- •Federalism
- •State and Local Government
- •Three Branches of Government
- •Unit 13 The State System of Russia. The Parliament of the Russian Federation
- •Text a The State System of Russia
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b The Parliament of the Russian Federation
- •Vocabulary
Text b Characteristics of Constitutions
Every state has a constitution, since every state functions on the basis of certain rules and principles. It has often been asserted that the United States has a written constitution but that the constitution of Great Britain is unwritten. This is true, but only in the sense that in the United States there is a formal document called the Constitution, whereas there is no such document in Great Britain. In fact, however, many parts of the British constitution exist in written form, whereas important aspects of the American constitution are wholly unwritten. Written constitutions can concern themselves exclusively or prevalently with the organization of government or deal extensively with the rights of people and with the goals of governmental action.
Written constitutions are said to be “normative” when their binding principles are more or less all observed in the actual operations of the political system. This applies to the constitutions of the United States, Canada, and of some western European countries. Other constitutions are said to be “nominal,” because they are largely or in substantial parts disregarded and do not provide insight into the real functioning of the system. This is often the case with constitutions of rapidly developing countries and of countries ruled by a one-person or a one-party dictatorship.
Constitutions, written or unwritten, must be distinguished according to whether they are “rigid” or “flexible.” Rigid are those constitutions at least some part of which cannot be modified in ordinary legislative way. Flexible are those whose rules can all be modified through the simple procedure by which statutes are enacted. The United States has a rigid constitution, because proposals to amend the constitutional document adopted in 1788 can only be added through a complex procedure of majority vote in each house of Congress. Great Britain has a flexible constitution because all of its constitutional institutions and rules can be modified by an act of Parliament.
Vocabulary
act n акт, закон, постановление; act of Parliament постановление парламента
amend v вносить поправки, изменения, дополнения (в конституцию, закон и пр.)
binding adj обязательный, обязывающий; binding principles обязательные принципы
dictatorship n диктатура; one-party dictatorship однопартийная диктатура
disregard v не принимать во внимание, игнорировать, не обращать внимания
enact v предписывать, постановлять; принимать, вводить в действие (закон),
устанавливать в законодательном порядке
enactment n издание, принятие (закона); законодательный акт, закон, указ, статут, постановление (законодательной власти), статья закона
exclusively adv исключительно, единственно, только
extensively adv пространно, обширно, широко, экстенсивно
flexible adj гибкий, маневренный, подвижный
goal n цель, задача
house of Congress палата Конгресса США
insight (into) n проникновение в суть чего-л., способность проникновения в сущность
modify v модифицировать, видоизменять; modify the rules видоизменять правила/нормы права
nominal adj номинальный, условный, символический
normative adj нормативный
observe v соблюдать (правила, обычаи, принципы)
operation n действие, работа, функционирование
prevalently adv общепринято, во многих случаях, главным образом
rapidly developing countries быстро развивающиеся страны
rigid adj жесткий, строгий, неукоснительный
rule n правило, норма права, постановление, предписание, приказ
statute n статут, законодательный акт
substantial adj значительный, основной, главный, реально существующий
vote n голос, право голоса; голосование, число голосов, вотум, решение; majority vote решение большинством голосов; большинство голосов
written constitution писаная конституция; unwritten constitution неписаная конституция
Reading tasks
A Answer these questions.
1 Why is it necessary for every state to have a constitution?
2 What type of constitutions do the United States and Great Britain have?
3 What are the characteristic features of existing constitutions?
4 What examples from the text illustrate these features?
B Complete the text with an appropriate preposition from the box.
above against among by for
in of on within
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There are also laws which enable citizens to take legal action 1) ______ the state – against, for example, a public authority or even against the government itself. These actions are part of constitutional law.
As knowledge of the law has increased 2) ______ the general public, so have the number and range of constitutional law cases.
A constitution is the political and ideological structure 3) ______ which a system 4) ______ laws operates. Most countries have a formal written Constitution describing how laws are to be made and enforced. The French Constitution, for example, sets a seven year term of office 5)_____ the president; the U.S. constitution sets a four year term. In Switzerland, a referendum (national vote) must be held 6) ______ any issue for which a petition signed 7) ______ 10,000 people has been gathered; in Ireland, referenda are to be used only in the case of changes in the constitution itself. 8) ______ Germany, a change in the constitution requires a special majority vote in parliament, not the simple majority necessary for other laws. Many other countries put the constitution 9) _______ other laws by making it difficult to change.
Over to you
For discussion:
Can a person or society as a whole live without any constitution? Are there any examples of this?