ABSTRACT
Aninstitutionisinfirstinstanceasetofwaysoflivingand doing.bItisnot,infirstinstance)amatterofwordsorrules.1The existenceofaninstitutionliesfirstofallandlastofallinthe factthatpeopledobehaveincertainpatternsa)bandc)anddo notbehaveinotherconceivablepatternsdtow.Andtheprobabilitythataninstitutionwillcontinuecoincideswithwhatever probabilitythereisthatpeoplewillcontinuesotobehave.Every livingconstitutionisaninstitution;itlivesonlysofarasthatis true.Andthedifferencebetweena"written"andan"unwritten" constitutionlieschieflyinthefactthattheshapeofactioninthe formercaseissomewhatinfluencedbythepresenceofaparticulardocument,andofparticularattitudestowardit,and particularwaysofdealingwithitslanguage.
