Why Does the UK Not Have a Written Constitution? (Understanding Political News in 3 Minutes, No. 52)

There are countries in the world that do not have a 'written constitution' systematically compiled into a single document. The United Kingdom is one of them. However, this does not mean that a constitution does not exist.

In the UK, throughout history since the Magna Carta, acts of Parliament, judicial precedents, and political conventions have accumulated, and these function as the fundamental rules of the state.

1. It is not that there is 'no constitution,' but that there is 'no single constitutional code'

To visualize this, a written constitution like that of the United States is similar to a massive building constructed all at once. Changing its basic structure requires significant procedures.

The UK's constitutional order has developed over hundreds of years while avoiding major political ruptures. It has a track record of limiting royal power, establishing parliamentary politics, and entrenching the peaceful transfer of power through elections.

However, this flexibility is not a panacea. Because strong authority is concentrated in Parliament, the challenge remains as to where to place the ultimate standard for limiting power.

2. How to control 'political power': A comparison between the UK and the US

This difference stems from a difference in thinking regarding 'how to control political power.'

The United States operates on the premise that power can always be abused, and it has clearly limited the scope of power through a supreme law called the Constitution.

On the other hand, the UK has controlled power incrementally through laws, precedents, and political practices formed throughout its history.

While the US bound power with a 'fixed blueprint,' the UK has controlled power through 'accumulated institutions.'

Conclusion: Fixed rules or accumulated rules?

A constitution does not necessarily have to be a single document to function.

The US limited power through a fixed blueprint called a constitution. Meanwhile, the UK has formed a mechanism to control power by accumulating laws, precedents, and political practices over history.

What is important is not the presence or absence of a constitutional code, but how to create a mechanism that limits state power.

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