2. Составьте предложения, используя данные слова и словосочетания.

concern the relationship between the individual and the state; govern political relations; within a given society; reflect a particular distribution of political power; a very high degree of consensus about the organs and procedures; be governed by law; constitutional lawyer; political parties; organized activity; public good

3. Найдите в тексте словосочетания с данными юридическими терминами.

freedom; power; lawyer; rules; relations; law; society; decisions, elections, claim, conduct

*4. Соотнесите словосочетания и их английские эквиваленты.

1. требования социальной a. rules of constitutional law справедливости b. claims of social justice

2. структура и полномочия с. attitude to marriage государства d. structure and powers of the state

3. принять политические е. take political decisions решения

4. нормы конституционного права

5. отношение к браку

5. Выразите согласие или несогласие с данными утверждениями.

1. Law is a matter of rales which govern relations between private individuals.

1. Law exists in a social and political vacuum.

2. The laws of football are rarely broken.

3. Constitutional law is one branch of human learning.

2. Constitutional law reflects the value that people attach to orderly human relations.

6. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. What is constitutional law based on?

2. How can law be denned?

3. What is the main principle of a constitutional lawyer? 2. How does law reflect the life of a given society?

5. In which way does constitutional law act in a stable society?

6. What does constitutional law reflect in a stable democracy?

3. How can we define constitutional law?

4. How are laws made?

Text 2

WHAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL LAW?

There is no hard and fast definition of constitutional law. According to one very wide definition, constitutional law is that part of the law which relates to the system of government of the country. It is more useful to define constitutional law as meaning those laws which regulate the structure of the principal organs of government and their relationship to each other and to the citizen, and determine their main functions. Where there is a written constitution, emphasis is placed on the rales which it contains and on the way in which they have been interpreted by the highest court with constitutional jurisdiction. It is increasingly recognised that in most branches of law, the purpose and operation of legal rales can be understood only with a knowledge of the social background against which the legal rules operate: legal procedures for the resolution of disputes arising within a family, a trade union or a limited company are an incomplete guide to the role of these institutions in society.

A further problem of definition is that, unlike legal system in which law is divided up into a series of codes, there is no hard and fast demarcation in Britain between constitutional law and other branches of law. For example, in the field of family law, important protection for family life is given by the European Convention oh Human Rights, and family status is an important basis for many rules of immigration control. Numerous civil liberty issues arise out of criminal law and procedure. In property law, public control of private rights is a fertile field for the emergence of disputes involving a clash between public and private interests. These examples are not meant to suggest that constitutional law comprehends the whole of the legal system, but that the functioning of the legal system is of direct concern to constitutional law.

Notes

determine the main functions — определять основные функции emphasis is placed on — особое внимание уделяется the resolution of dispute — решение спора civil liberty issues — вопросы гражданских свобод clash between public and private interests — конфликт (противоре­чие) между общественными и частными интересами

123

comprehend the whole of the legal system - охватывать всю зако­нодательную систему

be of direct concern to constitutional law - непосредственно под­падать под действие конституционного права

Упражнения

*7. Соотнесите слова в левой колонке с их определениями в правой.

1. resolution a. special attention given to something because it is

2. peculiar important

3. emphasis b. to find out or make certain (facts or information)

4. concern с a formal statement of decision or opinion

5. clash d. unusual and strange

6. determine e. disagreement, conflict

f. a worried feeling or a state of anxiety

8. Найдите в тексте словосочетания со следующими юридическими терминами.

law, government, jurisdiction, procedures, codes, control, system, rights

9. Составьте предложения, используя данные слова и словосочетания.

definition; principal organs; relationship; to be interrupted by; legal rules; to be divided into

10. Выразите согласие или несогласие с данными утверждениями:

1. Constitutional law relates to the system of economic relations.

1. Important protection of family life is given by the European convention on Human Rights.

2. The functioning of the legal system is of no concern to Constitutional law.

11. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. How is it possible to define Constitutional Law?

2. Which problems occur while defining Constitutional Law in the UK?

3. In which way is family protection given?

4. Which liberty issues arise out of criminal law and procedure?

Text3

LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE UNWRITTEN CONSTITUTION

Where there is a written constitution, the legal structure of government may assume a wide variety of forms. Within a federal constitution, the tasks of government are divided into two classes, those entrusted to the federal (or central) organs of government, and those entrusted to the

various states, regions or provinces which make up the federation. Thus in countries such as Canada, Australia or the United States, constitutional limits bind both the federal and state organs of government, which limits are enforceable as a matter of law. Many written constitutions seek to avoid a concentration of power in the hands of any one organ of government by adopting the principle of separation of power, vesting legislative power exclusively in the legislature, executive power in the executive and judicial power in the courts.

Within the United Kingdom, there is no written constitution which can secure these objects or which can serve as fundamental law. In the absence of a constitution to serve as the foundation of the legal system, the vacuum is filled by the legal doctrine of the legislative supremacy of Parliament. The full significance of this doctrine will be examined later, but the result in that formal restraints upon the exercise of power which exist elsewhere do not exist in the United Kingdom. For example, no truly federal system can exist so long as Parliament's legislative supremacy is maintained. For a federal system to be established a written constitution would be necessary, limiting the powers of the Westminster Parliament and thus preventing it from taking back the devolved powers into its own hands. Of course, if subordinate legislatures were to be established for Scotland and Wales, it might be politically difficult to abolish them: but their continued existence would be safeguarded by political factors rather than by constitutional law.

The absence of a written constitution has a shaip effect upon the sources of constitutional law. Instead of the constitution being the formal source of all constitutional law, much greater importance attaches to Acts of ParUament and also to judicial decisions, which settle the law on matters such as police powers that have never been the subject of comprehensive legislation. Some major institutions, like the Cabinet, do not derive their authority from the law; many important constitutional rales are not rules of law at all. To summarise, the absence of a written constitution means that the British constitution depends far less on legal rules and safeguards and relies much more upon political and democratic principles.

Notes

assume a wide variety of forms - допускать (предполагать) самые

разнообразные формы entrust to the federal government - возлагать на федеральное

правительство

bind both the federal and state organs of government - связывать обязательством федеральные органы власти и органы власти штатов

enforceable as a matter of law - обеспеченный правовой

санкцией

seek to avoid a concentration of power - стараться избегать кон­центрации власти

adopt a principle of separation of powers - принять принцип раз­деления властей

vest legislative power exclusively in the legislature — наделять зако­нодательной властью исключительно законодательный органы власти

render them unalterable — сделать их неизменяемыми secure these objects — сохранить эти объекты legal doctrine of the legislative supremacy of Parliament — пра­вовая доктрина законодательного верховенства парламента

be safeguarded by the political factors - быть под защитой поли­тических факторов

attach importance to — придавать значение depend far less on legal rules and safeguards - гораздо меньше зависеть от правовых норм и гарантий rely much more upon political and democratic and democratic principles — гораздо больше полагаться на политические демократические принципы

Упражнения

*12. Соотнесите словосочетания и их английские эквиваленты.

1. связывать обязательством a. to limit the powers федеральные органы и b. absence of a written constitution органы власти штатов с. doctrine of the legislative supremacy

2. доктрина превосходства d. to bind the federal and state organs of закона government

3. ограничить власть (полномочия)

4. отсутствие написанной конституции

*13. Соотнесите слова в левой колонке с их определениями в правой.

1. confirm a. to have a good opinion of someone or

2. approve something

3. safeguard b. to approve officially by formal agreement

4. attach importance to c. to pay a great attention to

d. protection

_m