Why do some countries adopt written constitutions?

Answer Details

Why some countries adopt written constitutions

A written constitution is one whose fundamental principles and rules of government are contained in a single, formal, documentary form. Countries adopt written constitutions for the following reasons:

1. Certainty and clarity: A written document sets out the powers, duties and limits of government clearly, so that there is little room for doubt or dispute over what the law of the constitution is.
2. Protection of fundamental rights: Writing down the constitution enables the basic rights and liberties of citizens to be entrenched and guaranteed against violation by the government.
3. Suitability for federations: In a federal state a written constitution is necessary to share powers clearly between the central and the component units and to prevent conflict between them.
4. Check on arbitrary government: By spelling out the limits of authority, a written constitution restrains rulers from abusing power and makes them govern within defined bounds.
5. Stability and permanence: Because it is usually rigid and difficult to amend, a written constitution provides a stable and enduring framework of government that cannot be changed on a whim.
6. Reference point and settling of disputes: It serves as a supreme reference document to which the courts and citizens can turn to resolve constitutional disputes.
7. Guarantee against a return to bad rule: Newly independent or post-crisis states adopt it to guard against dictatorship and to guide the conduct of government.