The English Constitution · Question
How does The English Constitution develop the theme of Evolutionary Constitutional Change?
Answer
The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot develops Evolutionary Constitutional Change across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The book emphasizes that the English Constitution is a living entity in constant change, shaped by historical development rather than deliberate design, and that language and theories often lag behind actual practice.
Bagehot emphasizes the constant change in a living constitution and the difficulty of capturing it at a single point in time.
The chapter details how the English Constitution evolved from a primitive consultative absolutism into a modern mixed government, preserving the monarchy's outward form while developing republican substance.
Evidence in the book
- I
Bagehot emphasizes the constant change in a living constitution and the difficulty of capturing it at a single point in time.
- VII: Its History, and the Effects of That History—Conclusion
The chapter details how the English Constitution evolved from a primitive consultative absolutism into a modern mixed government, preserving the monarchy's outward form while developing republican substance.
