Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy

Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy

Author: Giuliano Amato

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-08-26

Total Pages: 425

ISBN-13: 1509936866

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

What is more paradoxically democratic than a people exercising their vote against the harbingers of the rule of law and democracy? What happens when the will of the people and the rule of law are at odds? Some commentators note that the presence of illiberal political movements in the public arena of many Western countries demonstrates that their democracy is so inclusive and alive that it comprehends and countenances even undemocratic forces and political agendas. But what if, on the contrary, these were the signs of the deconsolidation of democracy instead of its good health? What if democratically elected regimes were to ignore constitutional principles representing the rule of law and the limits of their power? With contributions from judges and scholars from different backgrounds and nationalities this book explores the framework in which this tension currently takes place in several Western countries by focusing on four key themes: - The Rule of Law: presenting a historical and theoretical reconstruction of the evolution of the Rule of Law; - The People: dealing with a set of problems around the notion of 'people' and the forces claiming to represent their voice; - Democracy and its enemies: tackling a variety of phenomena impacting on the traditional democratic balance of powers and institutional order; - Elected and Non-Elected: focusing on the juxtaposition between judges (and, more generally, non-representative bodies) and the people's representation.


Book Synopsis Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy by : Giuliano Amato

Download or read book Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy written by Giuliano Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-08-26 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is more paradoxically democratic than a people exercising their vote against the harbingers of the rule of law and democracy? What happens when the will of the people and the rule of law are at odds? Some commentators note that the presence of illiberal political movements in the public arena of many Western countries demonstrates that their democracy is so inclusive and alive that it comprehends and countenances even undemocratic forces and political agendas. But what if, on the contrary, these were the signs of the deconsolidation of democracy instead of its good health? What if democratically elected regimes were to ignore constitutional principles representing the rule of law and the limits of their power? With contributions from judges and scholars from different backgrounds and nationalities this book explores the framework in which this tension currently takes place in several Western countries by focusing on four key themes: - The Rule of Law: presenting a historical and theoretical reconstruction of the evolution of the Rule of Law; - The People: dealing with a set of problems around the notion of 'people' and the forces claiming to represent their voice; - Democracy and its enemies: tackling a variety of phenomena impacting on the traditional democratic balance of powers and institutional order; - Elected and Non-Elected: focusing on the juxtaposition between judges (and, more generally, non-representative bodies) and the people's representation.

Democracy and the Rule of Law

Democracy and the Rule of Law

Author: Adam Przeworski

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2003-07-21

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 9780521532662

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book addresses the question of why governments sometimes follow the law and other times choose to evade the law. The traditional answer of jurists has been that laws have an autonomous causal efficacy: law rules when actions follow anterior norms; the relation between laws and actions is one of obedience, obligation, or compliance. Contrary to this conception, the authors defend a positive interpretation where the rule of law results from the strategic choices of relevant actors. Rule of law is just one possible outcome in which political actors process their conflicts using whatever resources they can muster: only when these actors seek to resolve their conflicts by recourse to la, does law rule. What distinguishes 'rule-of-law' as an institutional equilibrium from 'rule-by-law' is the distribution of power. The former emerges when no one group is strong enough to dominate the others and when the many use institutions to promote their interest.


Book Synopsis Democracy and the Rule of Law by : Adam Przeworski

Download or read book Democracy and the Rule of Law written by Adam Przeworski and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2003-07-21 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses the question of why governments sometimes follow the law and other times choose to evade the law. The traditional answer of jurists has been that laws have an autonomous causal efficacy: law rules when actions follow anterior norms; the relation between laws and actions is one of obedience, obligation, or compliance. Contrary to this conception, the authors defend a positive interpretation where the rule of law results from the strategic choices of relevant actors. Rule of law is just one possible outcome in which political actors process their conflicts using whatever resources they can muster: only when these actors seek to resolve their conflicts by recourse to la, does law rule. What distinguishes 'rule-of-law' as an institutional equilibrium from 'rule-by-law' is the distribution of power. The former emerges when no one group is strong enough to dominate the others and when the many use institutions to promote their interest.

A Matter of Dispute

A Matter of Dispute

Author: Christopher J. Peters

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2011-01-19

Total Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 0199749957

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Law often purports to require people, including government officials, to act in ways they think are morally wrong or harmful. What is it about law that can justify such a claim? In A Matter of Dispute: Morality, Democracy, and Law, Christopher J. Peters offers an answer to this question, one that illuminates the unique appeal of democratic government, the peculiar structure of adversary adjudication, and the contested legitimacy of constitutional judicial review. Peters contends that law should be viewed primarily as a device for avoiding or resolving disputes, a function that implies certain core properties of authoritative legal procedures. Those properties - competence and impartiality - give democracy its advantage over other forms of government. They also underwrite the adversary nature of common-law adjudication and the duties and constraints of democratic judges. And they ground a defense of constitutionalism and judicial review against persistent objections that those practices are "counter-majoritarian" and thus nondemocratic. This work canvasses fundamental problems within the diverse disciplines of legal philosophy, democratic theory, philosophy of adjudication, and public-law theory and suggests a unified approach to unraveling them. It also addresses practical questions of law and government in a way that should appeal to anyone interested in the complex and often troubled relationship among morality, democracy, and the rule of law. Written for specialists and non-specialists alike, A Matter of Dispute explains why each of us individually, and all of us collectively, have reason to obey the law - why democracy truly is a system of government under law.


Book Synopsis A Matter of Dispute by : Christopher J. Peters

Download or read book A Matter of Dispute written by Christopher J. Peters and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2011-01-19 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Law often purports to require people, including government officials, to act in ways they think are morally wrong or harmful. What is it about law that can justify such a claim? In A Matter of Dispute: Morality, Democracy, and Law, Christopher J. Peters offers an answer to this question, one that illuminates the unique appeal of democratic government, the peculiar structure of adversary adjudication, and the contested legitimacy of constitutional judicial review. Peters contends that law should be viewed primarily as a device for avoiding or resolving disputes, a function that implies certain core properties of authoritative legal procedures. Those properties - competence and impartiality - give democracy its advantage over other forms of government. They also underwrite the adversary nature of common-law adjudication and the duties and constraints of democratic judges. And they ground a defense of constitutionalism and judicial review against persistent objections that those practices are "counter-majoritarian" and thus nondemocratic. This work canvasses fundamental problems within the diverse disciplines of legal philosophy, democratic theory, philosophy of adjudication, and public-law theory and suggests a unified approach to unraveling them. It also addresses practical questions of law and government in a way that should appeal to anyone interested in the complex and often troubled relationship among morality, democracy, and the rule of law. Written for specialists and non-specialists alike, A Matter of Dispute explains why each of us individually, and all of us collectively, have reason to obey the law - why democracy truly is a system of government under law.

Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy

Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy

Author: Giuliano Amato

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-08-26

Total Pages: 479

ISBN-13: 1509936858

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

What is more paradoxically democratic than a people exercising their vote against the harbingers of the rule of law and democracy? What happens when the will of the people and the rule of law are at odds? Some commentators note that the presence of illiberal political movements in the public arena of many Western countries demonstrates that their democracy is so inclusive and alive that it comprehends and countenances even undemocratic forces and political agendas. But what if, on the contrary, these were the signs of the deconsolidation of democracy instead of its good health? What if democratically elected regimes were to ignore constitutional principles representing the rule of law and the limits of their power? With contributions from judges and scholars from different backgrounds and nationalities this book explores the framework in which this tension currently takes place in several Western countries by focusing on four key themes: - The Rule of Law: presenting a historical and theoretical reconstruction of the evolution of the Rule of Law; - The People: dealing with a set of problems around the notion of 'people' and the forces claiming to represent their voice; - Democracy and its enemies: tackling a variety of phenomena impacting on the traditional democratic balance of powers and institutional order; - Elected and Non-Elected: focusing on the juxtaposition between judges (and, more generally, non-representative bodies) and the people's representation.


Book Synopsis Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy by : Giuliano Amato

Download or read book Rule of Law vs Majoritarian Democracy written by Giuliano Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-08-26 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is more paradoxically democratic than a people exercising their vote against the harbingers of the rule of law and democracy? What happens when the will of the people and the rule of law are at odds? Some commentators note that the presence of illiberal political movements in the public arena of many Western countries demonstrates that their democracy is so inclusive and alive that it comprehends and countenances even undemocratic forces and political agendas. But what if, on the contrary, these were the signs of the deconsolidation of democracy instead of its good health? What if democratically elected regimes were to ignore constitutional principles representing the rule of law and the limits of their power? With contributions from judges and scholars from different backgrounds and nationalities this book explores the framework in which this tension currently takes place in several Western countries by focusing on four key themes: - The Rule of Law: presenting a historical and theoretical reconstruction of the evolution of the Rule of Law; - The People: dealing with a set of problems around the notion of 'people' and the forces claiming to represent their voice; - Democracy and its enemies: tackling a variety of phenomena impacting on the traditional democratic balance of powers and institutional order; - Elected and Non-Elected: focusing on the juxtaposition between judges (and, more generally, non-representative bodies) and the people's representation.

The United States Supreme Court's Assault on the Constitution, Democracy, and the Rule of Law

The United States Supreme Court's Assault on the Constitution, Democracy, and the Rule of Law

Author: Adam Lamparello

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2016-12

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 1315407779

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Part VII An interpretive theory that promotes federalism, separation of powers and principled judicial review -- 28 Is democracy a good thing? The arguments - and the practicalities -- 29 Foundational principles for a pro-democracy, process-oriented, and pragmatic jurisprudence -- 30 Applying the foundational principles to the "worst" Supreme Court decisions and arriving at nonideological, process-oriented, and pro-democracy outcomes -- Concluding thoughts -- Index


Book Synopsis The United States Supreme Court's Assault on the Constitution, Democracy, and the Rule of Law by : Adam Lamparello

Download or read book The United States Supreme Court's Assault on the Constitution, Democracy, and the Rule of Law written by Adam Lamparello and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2016-12 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Part VII An interpretive theory that promotes federalism, separation of powers and principled judicial review -- 28 Is democracy a good thing? The arguments - and the practicalities -- 29 Foundational principles for a pro-democracy, process-oriented, and pragmatic jurisprudence -- 30 Applying the foundational principles to the "worst" Supreme Court decisions and arriving at nonideological, process-oriented, and pro-democracy outcomes -- Concluding thoughts -- Index

First Democracy

First Democracy

Author: Paul Woodruff

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2006-03-16

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 0195304543

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This brilliant analysis of the nature of democracy draws on the hard-earned lessons of the ancient Greeks.


Book Synopsis First Democracy by : Paul Woodruff

Download or read book First Democracy written by Paul Woodruff and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2006-03-16 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This brilliant analysis of the nature of democracy draws on the hard-earned lessons of the ancient Greeks.

Law and Democracy

Law and Democracy

Author: Tom Campbell

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 586

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The study of law is a branch of the study of politics. Even those who emphasize the autonomy of law, either sociologically or normatively, must acknowledge that this is a position that requires justification within a broader theory of politics that either explains or justifies this autonomy. Inevitably, therefore, developments in political life and in political philosophy have a significant effect on the practice of law and its theoretical study. Currently this relationship is evident in the impact of recent developments in the practice and theory of democracy that are redolent with implications for law and legal theory. This collection represents the body of captivating literature that is engaged not only with current developments in law and politics but also with the rediscovery of traditional theories. It offers a way into an engaging and important debate that bears of the most fundamental issues within both legal and political theory.


Book Synopsis Law and Democracy by : Tom Campbell

Download or read book Law and Democracy written by Tom Campbell and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003 with total page 586 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of law is a branch of the study of politics. Even those who emphasize the autonomy of law, either sociologically or normatively, must acknowledge that this is a position that requires justification within a broader theory of politics that either explains or justifies this autonomy. Inevitably, therefore, developments in political life and in political philosophy have a significant effect on the practice of law and its theoretical study. Currently this relationship is evident in the impact of recent developments in the practice and theory of democracy that are redolent with implications for law and legal theory. This collection represents the body of captivating literature that is engaged not only with current developments in law and politics but also with the rediscovery of traditional theories. It offers a way into an engaging and important debate that bears of the most fundamental issues within both legal and political theory.

Our Republican Constitution

Our Republican Constitution

Author: Randy E. Barnett

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2016-04-19

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0062412302

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A concise history of the long struggle between two fundamentally opposing constitutional traditions, from one of the nation’s leading constitutional scholars—a manifesto for renewing our constitutional republic. The Constitution of the United States begins with the words: “We the People.” But from the earliest days of the American republic, there have been two competing notions of “the People,” which lead to two very different visions of the Constitution. Those who view “We the People” collectively think popular sovereignty resides in the people as a group, which leads them to favor a “democratic” constitution that allows the “will of the people” to be expressed by majority rule. In contrast, those who think popular sovereignty resides in the people as individuals contend that a “republican” constitution is needed to secure the pre-existing inalienable rights of “We the People,” each and every one, against abuses by the majority. In Our Republican Constitution, renowned legal scholar Randy E. Barnett tells the fascinating story of how this debate arose shortly after the Revolution, leading to the adoption of a new and innovative “republican” constitution; and how the struggle over slavery led to its completion by a newly formed Republican Party. Yet soon thereafter, progressive academics and activists urged the courts to remake our Republican Constitution into a democratic one by ignoring key passes of its text. Eventually, the courts complied. Drawing from his deep knowledge of constitutional law and history, as well as his experience litigating on behalf of medical marijuana and against Obamacare, Barnett explains why “We the People” would greatly benefit from the renewal of our Republican Constitution, and how this can be accomplished in the courts and the political arena.


Book Synopsis Our Republican Constitution by : Randy E. Barnett

Download or read book Our Republican Constitution written by Randy E. Barnett and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-04-19 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A concise history of the long struggle between two fundamentally opposing constitutional traditions, from one of the nation’s leading constitutional scholars—a manifesto for renewing our constitutional republic. The Constitution of the United States begins with the words: “We the People.” But from the earliest days of the American republic, there have been two competing notions of “the People,” which lead to two very different visions of the Constitution. Those who view “We the People” collectively think popular sovereignty resides in the people as a group, which leads them to favor a “democratic” constitution that allows the “will of the people” to be expressed by majority rule. In contrast, those who think popular sovereignty resides in the people as individuals contend that a “republican” constitution is needed to secure the pre-existing inalienable rights of “We the People,” each and every one, against abuses by the majority. In Our Republican Constitution, renowned legal scholar Randy E. Barnett tells the fascinating story of how this debate arose shortly after the Revolution, leading to the adoption of a new and innovative “republican” constitution; and how the struggle over slavery led to its completion by a newly formed Republican Party. Yet soon thereafter, progressive academics and activists urged the courts to remake our Republican Constitution into a democratic one by ignoring key passes of its text. Eventually, the courts complied. Drawing from his deep knowledge of constitutional law and history, as well as his experience litigating on behalf of medical marijuana and against Obamacare, Barnett explains why “We the People” would greatly benefit from the renewal of our Republican Constitution, and how this can be accomplished in the courts and the political arena.

Rule of Law Dynamics

Rule of Law Dynamics

Author: Michael Zurn

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2012-06-18

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 1139510975

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This volume explores the various strategies, mechanisms and processes that influence rule of law dynamics across borders and the national/international divide, illuminating the diverse paths of influence. It shows to what extent, and how, rule of law dynamics have changed in recent years, especially at the transnational and international levels of government. To explore these interactive dynamics, the volume adopts an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together the normative perspective of law with the analytical perspective of social sciences. The volume contributes to several fields, including studies of rule of law, law and development, and good governance; democratization; globalization studies; neo-institutionalism and judicial studies; international law, transnational governance and the emerging literature on judicial reforms in authoritarian regimes; and comparative law (Islamic, African, Asian, Latin American legal systems).


Book Synopsis Rule of Law Dynamics by : Michael Zurn

Download or read book Rule of Law Dynamics written by Michael Zurn and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-06-18 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explores the various strategies, mechanisms and processes that influence rule of law dynamics across borders and the national/international divide, illuminating the diverse paths of influence. It shows to what extent, and how, rule of law dynamics have changed in recent years, especially at the transnational and international levels of government. To explore these interactive dynamics, the volume adopts an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together the normative perspective of law with the analytical perspective of social sciences. The volume contributes to several fields, including studies of rule of law, law and development, and good governance; democratization; globalization studies; neo-institutionalism and judicial studies; international law, transnational governance and the emerging literature on judicial reforms in authoritarian regimes; and comparative law (Islamic, African, Asian, Latin American legal systems).

Judicial Power

Judicial Power

Author: Christine Landfried

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2019-02-07

Total Pages: 411

ISBN-13: 1316999084

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The power of national and transnational constitutional courts to issue binding rulings in interpreting the constitution or an international treaty has been endlessly discussed. What does it mean for democratic governance that non-elected judges influence politics and policies? The authors of Judicial Power - legal scholars, political scientists, and judges - take a fresh look at this problem. To date, research has concentrated on the legitimacy, or the effectiveness, or specific decision-making methods of constitutional courts. By contrast, the authors here explore the relationship among these three factors. This book presents the hypothesis that judicial review allows for a method of reflecting on social integration that differs from political methods, and, precisely because of the difference between judicial and political decision-making, strengthens democratic governance. This hypothesis is tested in case studies on the role of constitutional courts in political transformations, on the methods of these courts, and on transnational judicial interactions.


Book Synopsis Judicial Power by : Christine Landfried

Download or read book Judicial Power written by Christine Landfried and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-02-07 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The power of national and transnational constitutional courts to issue binding rulings in interpreting the constitution or an international treaty has been endlessly discussed. What does it mean for democratic governance that non-elected judges influence politics and policies? The authors of Judicial Power - legal scholars, political scientists, and judges - take a fresh look at this problem. To date, research has concentrated on the legitimacy, or the effectiveness, or specific decision-making methods of constitutional courts. By contrast, the authors here explore the relationship among these three factors. This book presents the hypothesis that judicial review allows for a method of reflecting on social integration that differs from political methods, and, precisely because of the difference between judicial and political decision-making, strengthens democratic governance. This hypothesis is tested in case studies on the role of constitutional courts in political transformations, on the methods of these courts, and on transnational judicial interactions.