Constitutional Preambles: More than Just a Narration of History

Abstract

While often overlooked as a mere introduction to a country's constitution, a preamble may provide insight into certain issues that the framers were unable to work into the articled provisions. In many conutries, these preambles are actually binding from a legal perspective and play a role in constitutional interpretation. This article explores the language and content of five countries’ constitutions, beginning with the United States and France and mvoing on to highlight three other constitutions (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia and India) where the preamble has become of utmost importance. Preambles do not simply contain flowery introductory language, but are present to remind the reader why the constitution was approved in the first place.

Keywords: Preamble, Constitution, Classification, Comparative Law, Classification, History, Legal Value