Beyond the Republican Revival: Non-Domination, Positive Liberty and Sortition

The book explores the republican revival in political and constitutional theory, offering a different interpretation of liberty that is historically more faithful to prominent writers and normatively more attractive. It proposes using large juries to decide bill-of-rights matters, reconciling democracy with constitutional review.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 05 May 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The republican revival, a vibrant movement that has gained significant traction in recent decades, presents republicanism as a captivating alternative to the prevailing liberal tradition. This comprehensive book delves into both the non-positive- and positive-liberty strands of this revival, offering a fresh and transformative perspective on liberty. It challenges the conventional understanding of liberty prevalent in the republican revival and presents a distinct interpretation that is historically more aligned with the ideas of prominent republican thinkers. Moreover, this alternative interpretation is found to be normatively more appealing, offering valuable insights into key concerns related to democracy and constitutionalism.

The book explores the normative advantages of this different perspective by examining central issues such as the justification for democracy and the interpretation of constitutional rights. It goes beyond republican liberty by employing the republican device of sortition, or selection by lot, to propose the use of large juries to decide matters related to the Bill of Rights. This innovative proposal suggests a way to reconcile democracy with constitutional review based on a bill of rights, demonstrating how the favored values and institutions of republicanism can be harmonized with liberal commitments.

It is important to note that republicanism is not presented as a rival to liberalism but rather as a complementary approach that shares many common values and institutions. The book emphasizes the compatibility between republicanism and liberalism, highlighting how the favored values and institutions fit within the framework of liberal commitments. This approach promotes a harmonious and inclusive political landscape where different perspectives can coexist and contribute to the betterment of society.

In conclusion, this book is a groundbreaking exploration of the republican revival in political and constitutional theory. It offers a fresh and transformative perspective on liberty that challenges the conventional understanding of republicanism. Through its discussion of key concerns related to democracy and constitutionalism, the book reveals the normative advantages of a different interpretation of liberty. It also proposes the use of large juries to decide bill-of-rights matters, demonstrating how democracy can be reconciled with constitutional review based on a bill of rights. By promoting a harmonious and inclusive political landscape, this book contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the future of political and constitutional theory.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509944668