Civilization on Trial
In his book 'Civilization on Trial' Toynbee deals with constitutional structure based on the British and US examples. The author states that constitutional systems are subjected to alterations as their institutional arrangements are adaptable to political changes in the country.
First and foremost, the constitutional government implies the existence of a constitution that has control over the exercise of political power. State organs cooperate in controlling political power in such a way that they are subjected to reciprocal controls and formulate the will of the state.
It is worth mentioning that constitutional democracies combining constitutionalism and democracy accord priority to the will of the majority and free elections.
Furthermore, political parties being key institutions play a significant role as they express and mobilize majority opinion.
Actually Great Britain and the USA are taken as examples of constitutional democracy in the modern world as their constitutions predate the 20th century and have evolved over ages. Interestingly the British constitution is not contained in a single document. Instead, it is formed by statute law, by common law, and by conventions as well.
While the executive branch in the UK comprises Her Majesty's Government and the legislative is made up of the Parliament( the Queen, the House of Lords and the House of Commons), the U. S. constitutional system can be distinguished as follows. The President and his administration constitute the executive branch, and Congress(the House of Representatives and the Senate) is the legislative.In practice there is a difference in the relationship between the legislative and executive branches in Britain and the U.S.A. The British parliamentary system is based on the integration between these powers whereas the separation of powers is at the heart of the U.S. presidential system.
However, the recurrent political crises prove that constitutional democracy carries no guarantee of
First and foremost, the constitutional government implies the existence of a constitution that has control over the exercise of political power. State organs cooperate in controlling political power in such a way that they are subjected to reciprocal controls and formulate the will of the state.
It is worth mentioning that constitutional democracies combining constitutionalism and democracy accord priority to the will of the majority and free elections.
Furthermore, political parties being key institutions play a significant role as they express and mobilize majority opinion.
Actually Great Britain and the USA are taken as examples of constitutional democracy in the modern world as their constitutions predate the 20th century and have evolved over ages. Interestingly the British constitution is not contained in a single document. Instead, it is formed by statute law, by common law, and by conventions as well.
While the executive branch in the UK comprises Her Majesty's Government and the legislative is made up of the Parliament( the Queen, the House of Lords and the House of Commons), the U. S. constitutional system can be distinguished as follows. The President and his administration constitute the executive branch, and Congress(the House of Representatives and the Senate) is the legislative.In practice there is a difference in the relationship between the legislative and executive branches in Britain and the U.S.A. The British parliamentary system is based on the integration between these powers whereas the separation of powers is at the heart of the U.S. presidential system.
However, the recurrent political crises prove that constitutional democracy carries no guarantee of