Why do we need a constitution? 1. It allows coordination in society. 2. It specifies decision making power. 3. It imposes limits on the Government's power. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
‘ Constitution’ is a compact document that comprises a number of articles about the state, specifying how the state is to be constituted and what norms it should follow. Functions of a Constitution: The first function of a constitution is to provide a set of basic rules that allow for minimal coordination amongst members of society. Hence statement 1 is correct. The second function of a constitution is to specify who has the power to make decisions in a society . It decides how the government will be constituted . Hence statement 2 is correct. A constitution is a body of fundamental principles according to which a state is constituted or governed. The third function of a constitution is to set some limits on what a government can impose on its citizens . Hence statement 3 is correct. These limits are fundamental in the sense that the government may never trespass them . The fourth function of a constitution is to enable the government to fulfil the aspirations of a society and create conditions for a just society . Constitutions are not only rules and regulations controlling the powers of the government . They also give powers to the government for pursuing the collective good of society. The Constitution expresses the fundamental identity of people . This means the people as a collective entity comes into being only through the basic constitution . It is by agreeing to a basic set of norms about how one should be governed , and who should be governed that one forms a collective identity .