Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution. A. V. Dicey

Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution

Constitutional Ideas lxxx Woman Suffrage lxxx The causes of demand lxxxi The two main lines of argument and answers lxxxi First argument—Every citizen entitled to vote lxxxi Second argument—Difference of sex no ground for difference of political rights lxxxii Proportional representation lxxxiv The three propositions on which argument in favour of proportional representation is based lxxxiv The truth of two first propositions admitted lxxxiv Objections to third proposition lxxxvi First objection—Complication of system increases power of wire-pullers lxxxvi Second objection—House of Commons is not mere House for Debate lxxxvii Third objection—Proportional representation increases number and evil of parliamentary groups lxxxviii Federalism xci Leading characteristics of federal government xciii Characteristics of federal government in relation to Imperial Federalism xcviii First objection—Attempt to form federal constitution for Empire full of difficulty and peril xcix

[print edition page xxxiii]

Second objection—No real necessity for formation of any new federal constitution for Empire	ciii
Characteristics of federal government in relation to Home Rule all round (i.e. federalisation of United Kingdom)	civ
Vagueness of the ideas which support the policy of federalisation of United Kingdom (Home Rule all round)	cv
Specific objections to Home Rule all round	cvi
First objection—No desire for Federalism in any part of United Kingdom	cvi
Second objection—Federalisation of United Kingdom does not promote Imperial Federalism	cvii
Third objection—Such federalisation opposed to whole history of English constitutionalism	cvii
The Referendum	cviii
Meaning of referendum	cviii
Causes for demand for referendum	cx
The main argument against the referendum	cxi
The main argument in favour of the referendum	cxiv
Conclusions	cxvii

[print edition page xxxiv]

[print edition page xxxv]

INTRODUCTION

AIM

The Law of the Constitution was first published in 1885. The book was based on lectures delivered by me as Vinerian Professor of English Law. The lectures were given and the book written with the sole object of explaining and illustrating three leading characteristics in the existing constitution of England; they are now generally designated as the Sovereignty of Parliament, the Rule of Law, and the Conventions of the Constitution. The book, therefore, dealt with the main features of our constitution as it stood in 1884-85, that is thirty years ago. The work has already gone through seven editions; each successive edition, including the seventh, has been brought up to date, as the expression goes, by amending it so as to embody any change in or affecting the constitution which may have occurred since the last preceding edition. On publishing the eighth and final edition of this treatise I have thought it expedient to pursue a different course. The constant amendment of a book republished in successive editions during thirty years is apt to take from it any such literary merits as it may originally have possessed. Recurring

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