Consensus, Compromise, Clarity, and Coherence

Abstract

This chapter deals with tradeoffs among multiple goals and the difficulty of maximizing their attainment. Compromise, for example, may impair the coherence of the constitution or may lead to lack of clarity or subsequent misinterpretation, willful or inadvertent, by political actors or by courts. Examples of such problems and their frequently-harmful effects are provided. The dangers of hasty, late-stage secret reviews of constitutional provisions and the deal-making that such reviews foster are also explored, with relevant examples.