Constitutions and political theory.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lane, Jan-Erik.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Comparative government.

Constitutional history.

Physical Description:

viii, 294 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Manchester ; New York : Manchester University Press, 2011.

Summary:

Since constitutional arrangements are what make politics work, they are a central concern of political theory. This book now completely updated was the first comprehensive exploration of the political theory of constitutions.

Jan-Erik Lane begins by examining the origins and history of constitutionalism and answers key questions such as what is a constitution? Why are there constitutions? From where does constitutionalism originate? How is the constitutional state related to democracy and justice?

Constitutions play a major role in domestic and international politics in the early twenty-first century and an updated version of this classic textbook will introduce students to a number of different areas-theoretical, empirical and moral - which will aid their understanding of this important topic. Book jacket.

Contents:

Two Interpretations of "Rule of Law"

Section I Constitutional Institutions

Two Great Constitutional Legacies

Mini and Maxi Constitutions in the World

Constitutional Law and the Legal Order

Section II Rule of Law Institutions - Empirical Evidence

Relevance of Rule of Law: Some Outcomes

What Enhances Rule of Law?

Section III Constitutionalism in Political Thought

Emergence of Modern Constitutionalism around 1600

The Forerunners of the Principal-Agent Model of Politics

Section IV A Principal-Agent Interpretation of Constitutional Democracy

The Principal-Agent Problem in Politics

Political Leadership: How to Restrain Political Agents

Section V Agency and Leadership: Political Parties and State Governments

Political Parties, Party Government and Remuneration for Agency

Global and Regional Constitutionalism: Constraining the Governments of States

Concluding Remark: Accountability in Politicsintroduction: Constitutions and Rule of Law

Two Interpretations of "Rule of Law"

Concluding Remark: Accountability in Politics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [260]-287) and index.

ISBN:

0719083303

9780719083303

OCLC:

662578179