Why Do We Need a Constitution?
Why do we need a Constitution? There are some reasons that explain why we need a constitution? The basic need is to have a constitution because, without it, it would be very difficult to govern the people of the country. We need a constitution for a set of defined values, duties, rights and laws that serve as a framework upon which the country runs.
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| Why Do We Need a Constitution |
What is a Constitution?
A constitution is basically a combination of principles and laws of political communities which can be either Nation or State and that determines the powers and duties of its government and the rights that are guaranteed to its citizens.
Why do we need a constitution? These are the reasons;
- A Constitution has written laws accepted by people living together in a country.
- It generates trust and coordination between the government and the citizens.
- It specifies a country's government type and how it should function.
- The Constitution is the supreme law of the country.
The reasons why do we need a constitution in 9 points are explained in this article. They are as follows;
- Protect the Fundamental Rights
- Establishes a Framework for Good Governance
- Assures Equality
- Facilitates Economic Development
- Preventing despotism
- Balanced government
- Constitution as a social instrument
- Stable government and protecting sovereignty
- Upholding human rights and democratic values
Protect the Fundamental Rights
The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to its citizens. And, the provisions relating to fundamental rights are governed under Part - III and Articles 12 to 35. Such as the right to equality, freedom of speech and expression, right to education, right to life and personal liberty, right to religion etc. Why do we need a constitution? The answer is to protect the fundamental rights of the people.
These fundamental rights are essential for the protection and development of the people of the country. The Constitution of India assures that citizens have all the power to participate in the governance of the country. For example, the Right to Information Act, 2005 empowers citizens to access information from public authorities, promotes transparency and ensures accountability.
Establishes a Framework for Good Governance
The Constitution of India lays down the framework for the functioning of the central and state government. It defines the powers and duties of the three branches of the constitution i.e. legislative, executive and judiciary and ensures that there is a system of checks and balances.
Therefore, this ensures that no one branch of the government exercises excessive power and that it maintains the rule of law. Why do we need a constitution? The answer is to establish a framework for good governance.
Assures Equality
India is a country with different religions, castes and languages. The Constitution of India ensures that every citizen is equal before the law and prohibits discrimination based on caste, religion, gender, race or place of birth etc. This has been a critical factor in promoting social justice and preventing the marginalization of certain groups in society. Why do we need a constitution? We need a constitution to ensure the equality of law among the people of the country.
Facilitates Economic Development
The Constitution of India provides a legal framework for economic development. It provides for the protection of property rights, the regulation of commerce, and the establishment of a uniform tax system. This has led to the growth of the Indian economy, making it one of the fastest-growing country in the economics in the world. Why do we need a constitution? We need a constitution to facilitate the economic development of the country.
Preventing Depotism
The constitution gives a foundational structure for its political community. The constitution decides what form of government it should follow and its roles in the political community, along with its limitations.
Read Also: -
- The Preamble of the Constitution of India
- Residuary Powers | Article 248 of Constitution of India
- The Types of Constitution
This would help in preventing the government from acting arbitrarily. The constitution would prevent those who are in power from getting too powerful and oppressive. Therefore, here we can say that constitutionalism is always opposite of the despotism.
Despotic governments are governments which are not bound by any superior law or authority or constitution. And, such types of governments govern the people of that country with the intent of securing their selfish interests, even at the cost of the basic human rights of their people.
Balanced Government
The constitution helps in the separation and distribution of power or authority among the institutions of the government. The constitution ensures that all these institutions are restricted in their power and also check and restrain each other. This prevents the domination of any institution over other institutions. The constitution would help to prevent the exercising of unchecked political power.
Constitution as Social Instrument
Another important purpose of the constitution is to provide a framework for the socio-economic development of the country. Many constitutions across the world, especially the Constitution of India, have been significantly ensuring that marginalised groups receive equality and justice.
The Directive Principles of State Policy specified in Part IV of the Indian Constitution have motivated the Central Government to create laws that serve as instruments for protecting the environment, upholding labour rights, promoting free access to deduction to children etc.
Stable Government and Protecting Sovereignty
The constitution serves the purpose of setting the social and political basis for a political community. The constitution ensures political stability and keeps the community's sovereignty intact. If a nation does not have a strong political structure, it is more vulnerable to attacks from external powers and it would be difficult to protect the people of the county from such external powers.
Therefore, the country or political communities that do not practice constitutionalism are more likely to crumble their people and country.
Upholding Human Rights and Democratic Values
The constitutions are of great importance in the modern democratic world. The constitution in many democratic nation-states serves the purpose of ensuring that the procedure of selecting those in power is uncorrupt and fair.
The Constitution also grants people their right to vote and the freedom to express their criticism of those in power. The elections, representative government, and the right to criticise those in power are the fundamental characteristics of a democratic society.
The Constitution also serve the main purpose of guaranteeing the fundamental human rights of citizens. This is essential to ensure that government does not function in a way that compromises the interest of its people.
Other Reasons
- The Constitution has written laws that are accepted by the people living together in a country.
- The Constitution creates trust and coordination between the government and the citizens.
- The Constitution specifies the type of government for a country and how it should function.
- It lays down limits on the powers of the government.
- The Constitution lays down the rights and duties of its citizens.
- The Constitution is needed for the better future of a country.
- The Constitution also restricts the unlimited powers of the government from misusing powers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we need a constitution short answers?
We need a constitution for the following reasons: A Constitution has written laws accepted by people living together in a country. It generates trust and coordination between the government and the citizens. It specifies the type of government for a country and how it should function.
Why is Indian Constitution necessary?
To provide a set of basic rules that allow for minimal coordination amongst members of society. To specify who has the power to make decisions in a society. It decides how the government will be constituted. To set some limits on what a government can impose on its citizens.
Why does a democratic country need a constitution?
A democratic country needs a constitution because: It ensures that the majority group does not discriminate against the minorities. It lays down rules that prevent the misuse of authority by political leaders.
Who made our constitution?
Dr BR Ambedkar, the chairman of its Drafting Committee, is considered the chief architect of the Indian Constitution which provides a comprehensive and dynamic framework to guide and govern the country, keeping in view her unique social, cultural and religious diversity.
Who wrote the first Constitution?
Prem Behari Narain Raizada was the calligrapher of the Indian Constitution. The original constitution was handwritten by him in a flowing italic style. The original version was beautified and decorated by artists from Shantiniketan including Nand Lal Bose and Beohar Rammanohar Sinha.
Conclusion
Why do we need a constitution? The answer to this question is concluded in this article. The constitution is the supreme law of a country. The Constitution defines the government's fundamental political values, policies, powers, rights, duties and processes. Therefore, it is important to have a constitution for a country.
The presence of a constitution is more relevant in any modern democratic state in order to ensure that the principles of democracy are always upheld. The Constitution plays a huge role in maintaining a balanced government.