Uncodified constitution

An uncodified or unwritten constitution is a constitution in which no single, formal document delineates the powers of a government, and the limits thereof. Instead, an unwritten constitution comprises the body of a country's laws, enacted over time, coupled with an emphasis on political precedent and enshrined parliamentary procedure, to create a framework in which a limited government operates. Although these principles are not codified in a single law, they are still recognized by courts, legislators, and executives as binding upon government, limiting its powers. Thus, a court might cite "the constitution" in forbidding an exercise of power, even though no document actually exists.

Current examples

The following states can be considered to have an unwritten constitution:

• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: no official constitution was ever written down, because the political system evolved over time, rather than being changed suddenly in an event such as a revolution. It is continuously being defined by acts of Parliament and decisions of the Law Courts. See Constitution of the United Kingdom.
• New Zealand: see Constitution of New Zealand.
• Israel: the declaration of independence promised a constitution by 2 October 1948, but due to irreconcilable differences in the Knesset, no complete constitution has been written yet. There are several Basic Laws, however.
• San Marino: see Constitution of San Marino.
• Ontario and other Canadian provinces, with the exception of British Columbia and the three Canadian territories

Former examples

• Constitution of the Roman Republic made up of the Twelve Tables and other statutes.
• Hungary, until 1949, had no codified constitution.

See also

• Constitution
• Constitutional monarchy
• Constitutional economics
• Political economy
• Rule according to higher law
• Statute law
• Common law
• Conventions
• Treaties & EU law
• Works of authority