'The New British Constitution'?
Event Details
Description:
The last decade has seen radical changes in the way we are governed. Reforms such as the Human Rights Act and devolution have led to the replacement of one constitutional order by another. Professor Bogdanor's new book is the first to describe and analyse Britain's new constitution, asking why it was that the old system, seemingly hallowed by time, came under challenge, and why it is being replaced.
The aim of constitutional reformers has been to improve the quality of government. But the main weakness of the new constitution is that it does little to secure more popular involvement in politics. We are in the process of becoming a constitutional state, but not a popular constitutional state. The next phase of constitutional reform, therefore, is likely to involve the creation of new forms of democratic engagement, so that our constitutional forms come to be more congruent with the social and political forces of the age. The end-point of this piecemeal process might well be a fully codified or written constitution which declares that power stems not from the Queen-in Parliament, but, instead, as in so many constitutions, from `We, the People'.
Website: www.sas.ac.uk/events/view/5902
The lecture will be followed by a wine reception with the opportunity to buy copies of 'The New British Constitution' from Hart Publishing at 15% discount.
Admission Free - All Welcome
If you wish to attend, RSVP to Belinda Crothers, IALS, Fax: 020 7862 5850: Email: IALS.Events@sas.ac.uk
Further information about IALS Events is available on the IALS Calendar of Events: http://www.sas.ac.uk/events/list/ials_events
