In Search of the Constitution: Reflections on State and Society in Britain

by Nevil Johnson

Overview

First published in 1977, In Search of the Constitution consists of a collection of critical reflections on the condition of government and politics in Britain. After a discussion of the effects of the growth in the government's responsibility for the economy and of the extension of the welfare state since 1945, the argument is advanced that political problems by 1970s have assumed a constitutional character. The traditional constitutional theory no longer corresponds to the political realities, but no replacement for it has been found.

The central parts of the book analyse Parliament and its role, the central direction of government, the character of the Civil Service, the threats to the unitary state implicit in demands for devolution, individual rights and the rule of law, parties and political elites. It concludes by presenting a case for constitutional reconstruction and outlines what this might involve. This is a must read for students of British politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781041146575
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/31/2025
Series:	Routledge Revivals
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Nevil Johnson (at the time of the original publication of the book) was with Nuffield College, Oxford.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Paperback Edition Foreword 1. The Domestic Economy and the Providential Power of Government 2. Quality and Welfare in the Static State 3. The Waning of Constitutional Understanding 4. Parliament: The Mirror of the Nation 5. Adversary Politics and Institutionalised Opposition 6. The Leviathan at the Center 7. Challenges to the Unitary State 8. Law and Polity 9. Parties and Political Elites 10. The Sentiments of the People towards Government 11. Fundamentals in a Constitutional Reform 12. Towards a New Constitutional Settlement Index