第59章　憲法と国家の権力

Every modern state rests upon a written constitution. It sets the basic rules by which the administration of the country is meant to operate, and it tries, with varying success, to keep raw power in check from one generation to the next. The legal system is supposed to be independent of any single political party, no matter how prominent that party may be. In practice, however, a former leader's influence often lingers for decades, shaping decisions long after the speeches have faded.

Reform of an old constitution is never easy. Some experts will praise the changes as a positive step forward, while others reach a negative judgment, claiming the reform contradicts earlier promises made to the public.

When one nation manages a clean change of administration, the news quickly enters wide circulation, and its reputation grows abroad. The country may even receive a quiet international award from organizations that monitor democracy. A lawyer's career depends on patient work for a steady client. The wisest attorneys never let a single famous case go to their head — although their superior knowledge of small legal details is often what eventually wins it.

History is full of older patterns. In the medieval world, a powerful lord could prescribe almost any rule he wished, and his subjects had little choice but to submit, even if his demands seemed to oppress them year after year.

Modern democracies have replaced such arbitrary power with formal convention and patient procedure. Yet, when leaders disregard the agreed rules, the impact on ordinary citizens can be just as harsh as anything from earlier centuries. An honest constitution is therefore not enough by itself. Citizens must remain alert and willing to oppose any leader who tries to contradict the basic spirit of the law, no matter how good his immediate reasons may sound or how loudly the morning news repeats them.