Robertson The Judge as Political Theorist

Contemporary Constitutional Review
Course Book
ISBN: 978-1-4008-3687-1
Verlag: De Gruyter
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 432 Seiten

The Judge as Political Theorist examines opinions by constitutional courts in liberal democracies to better understand the logic and nature of constitutional review. David Robertson argues that the constitutional judge's role is nothing like that of the legislator or chief executive, or even the ordinary judge. Rather, constitutional judges spell out to society the implications--on the ground--of the moral and practical commitments embodied in the nation's constitution. Constitutional review, in other words, is a form of applied political theory.

Robertson takes an in-depth look at constitutional decision making in Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Canada, and South Africa, with comparisons throughout to the United States, where constitutional review originated. He also tackles perhaps the most vexing problem in constitutional law today--how and when to limit the rights of citizens in order to govern. As traditional institutions of moral authority have lost power, constitutional judges have stepped into the breach, radically altering traditional understandings of what courts can and should do. Robertson demonstrates how constitutions are more than mere founding documents laying down the law of the land, but increasingly have become statements of the values and principles a society seeks to embody. Constitutional judges, in turn, see it as their mission to transform those values into political practice and push for state and society to live up to their ideals.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Robertson, David

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Geschichte
• Rechtswissenschaften Allgemeines Verfahrens-, Zivilprozess- und Insolvenzrecht Allgemeines Prozessrecht, Kostenrecht
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Theorie, Politische Philosophie
• Rechtswissenschaften Öffentliches Recht Staats- und Verfassungsrecht

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface ix

Chapter One: The Nature and Function of Judicial Review 1

Chapter Two: Germany: Dignity and Democracy 40

Chapter Three: Eastern Europe: (Re)Establishing the Rule of Law 83

Chapter Four: France: Purely Abstract Review 143

Chapter Five: Canada: Imposing Rights on the Common Law 187

Chapter Six: South Africa: Defining a New Society 226

Chapter Seven: Tests of Unconstitutionality and Discrimination 281

Chapter Eight: Conclusions: Constitutional Jurists as Political Theorists 347

Cases Cited 385

Bibliography 393

Index 407

Über Autor(innen)

David Robertson is professor of politics and a fellow of St. Hugh's College at the University of Oxford. His books include A Dictionary of Human Rights and Judicial Discretion in the House of Lords.