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The English Constitution · Theme
Evolutionary Constitutional Change
How The English Constitution develops Evolutionary Constitutional Change.
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.
Where it surfaces
- Introduction
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.