What Should Constitutions Do?

In this collection, legal scholars, political scientists and philosophers address questions of constitutional purpose, design and law from many viewpoints.

The essays in this volume address the basic purposes of constitutions and their status as fundamental law, deal with specific constitutional provisions, explore questions of constitutional design and examine what form of constitution best promotes personal liberty and economic prosperity.The essays in this volume - written by prominent philosophers, political scientists and legal scholars - address the basic purposes of constitutions and their status as fundamental law. Some deal with specific constitutional provisions: they ask, for example, which branches of government should have the authority to conduct foreign policy, or how the judiciary should be organized, or what role a preamble should play in a nation's founding document. Other essays explore questions of constitutional design: they consider the advantages of a federal system of government, or the challenges of designing a constitution for a pluralistic society - or they ask what form of constitution best promotes personal liberty and economic prosperity.