The Legacies of Law

Long-Run Consequences of Legal Development in South Africa, 1652-2000
Erscheinungsjahr 2011
ISBN: 978-0-521-15699-8
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 406 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 657 g

Focusing on South Africa during the period 1650-2000, this book examines the role of law in making democracy work in changing societies. The Legacies of Law sheds light on the neglected relationship between path dependence and the law. Meierhenrich argues that legal norms and institutions, even illiberal ones, have an important - and hitherto undertheorized - structuring effect on democratic outcomes. Under certain conditions, law appears to reduce uncertainty in democratization by invoking common cultural backgrounds and experiences. In instances where interacting adversaries share qua law reasonably convergent mental models, transitions from authoritarian rule are shown to be less intractable. Meierhenrich's historical analysis of the evolution of law - and its effects - in South Africa during the period 1650-2000, compared with a short study of Chile from 1830-1990, shows how, and when, legal norms and institutions serve as historical causes to both liberal and illiberal rule.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Meierhenrich, Jens

Fachgebiete

• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Rechtsgeschichte, Recht der Antike
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Regierungspolitik Innen-, Bildungs- und Bevölkerungspolitik
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Afrikanische Geschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Menschenrechte, Bürgerrechte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction; Part I. A Theory of Law: 2. A typology of law; 3. Path dependence and the law; Part II. A History of Law: 4. Apartheid and the law I; 5. Apartheid and the law II; 6. Apartheid's endgame and the law I; 7. Apartheid's endgame and the law II; Part III. A Comparative Analysis: 8. A plausability probe; 9. Conclusion.

Über Autor(innen)

Meierhenrich, Jens
Jens Meierhenrich is Assistant Professor of Government and of Social Studies at Harvard University, where he is also a Faculty Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He recently served as the Carlo Schmid Fellow in Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and has previously worked with Luis Moreno Ocampo, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Professor Meierhenrich is also the author of a genocide trilogy, comprising The Rationality of Genocide, The Structure of Genocide, and The Culture of Genocide (all forthcoming).