Rights and the Ideal Constitution
Jonathan Sumption assess the pros and cons of written and unwritten constitutions, comparing the US and UK.
Jonathan Sumption assesses the US and UK鈥檚 constitutional models. He describes Britain's unwritten constitution as a political institution. The US Constitution is by contrast essentially a legal document. This has led Americans to address what should be political questions 鈥� such as the right to abortion 鈥� via the courts, rather than through politics. Britain, Lord Sumption argues, should learn from the United States be careful about which rights should be put beyond democratic choice.
The programme is recorded in front of an audience at George Washington University in Washington DC.
The Reith Lectures are presented and chaired by Anita Anand and produced by Jim Frank.
Editor: Hugh Levinson
Last on
![]()
Read Jonathan Sumption's fourth lecture, Rights and the Ideal Constitution.
Broadcasts
- Tue 11 Jun 2019 09:00麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 4
- Sat 15 Jun 2019 22:15麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 4
New to the Reith Lectures? Here鈥檚 where to start
Four lectures recommended by the series producer.
Podcast
-
![]()
The Reith Lectures
Significant international thinkers deliver the 麻豆官网首页入口's flagship annual lecture series
