A constitution is a legal document _________

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the best description of a constitution as a legal document. We need the option that captures its essential purpose.

Step 2: The concept A constitution is the supreme law of a country. It sets out:

• The structure of government (executive, legislature, judiciary)
• The powers and limits of each organ of government
• The rights and duties of citizens
• The principles by which the country is governed

It is the fundamental, or basic, law from which all other laws and government authority come.

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Drawn up by lawyers. Wrong. Constitutions are usually made by constituent assemblies, constitutional conferences, or drafting committees. These include lawyers but also politicians, traditional rulers, and representatives of different groups. Who drafts it is not what defines a constitution.
• B. Enacted by military decrees. Wrong. Some constitutions have been introduced under military rule (for example, Nigeria's 1999 Constitution was promulgated by decree). But this is only one way of making one, not a definition, and most constitutions are not made this way.
• C. Forming the basis upon which a government rules the country. Correct. This describes the constitution's role as the foundation of governance. Government derives its authority and powers from it.
• D. Only likely to succeed in countries where there is union government. Wrong. Constitutions work in unitary, federal, and confederal systems alike. Nigeria, the USA, and the UK all operate under constitutional arrangements, whatever their structure.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is C. A constitution is a legal document that provides the basis on which a government rules the country.

Exam tip: For "definition" questions in Government, pick the option that describes the function or nature of the term (here, "basis of government"). Avoid options that describe only one way it is made, such as "by lawyers" or "by decree", or that use limiting words like "only".