A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization, or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. It is the rule book for a state that sets out the fundamental principles by which the state is governed. Constitutions concern different levels of organizations, from sovereign countries to companies and unincorporated associations. When these principles are written down into a single document or set of legal documents, those documents may be said to embody a written constitution; if they are encompassed in a single comprehensive document, it is said to embody a codified constitution. Most constitutions seek to regulate the relationship between institutions of the state, in a basic sense the relationship between the executive, legislature, and the judiciary, but also the relationship of institutions within those branches.
Constitutions usually include the following basic elements:
- Preamble: An introduction that explains the purpose of the constitution.
- Fundamental rights: A list of rights that are guaranteed to citizens.
- Separation of powers: The division of government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
- Federalism: The division of power between the central government and the states.
- Amendment procedure: The process for changing the constitution.
Constitutions are usually more difficult to amend than it is to pass ordinary pieces of legislation because they include the most fundamental rules governing a society. Constitutional change typically involves approval by a super-majority in the legislature, a referendum, or sometimes both.
