From Parchment to Dust: The Case for Constitutional Skepticism

Leading constitutional scholar Louis Michael Seidman argues that the Constitution has long passed its "sell-by" date and that constitutional skepticism and disobedience have been present from the beginning of American history. He proposes a version that better reflects our shared values and leaves it to people currently alive to determine how these values will play out in contemporary society.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 18 November 2021
Publisher: The New Press

The prominent constitutional law scholars fascinating (and yes, mind-boggling) argument that we don't need the Constitution after all is a topic that has sparked debate and discussion among many. For some, to oppose the Constitution is to oppose the American experiment itself. However, leading constitutional scholar Louis Michael Seidman argues that our founding document has long passed its "sell-by" date. It might sound crazy, but Seidman's arguments are both powerful and, well, convincing.

As Seidman shows, constitutional skepticism and disobedience have been present from the beginning of American history, even worming their way into the Federalist Papers. And, as Seidman also points out, no one alive today has agreed to be bound by these rules.

In his book "From Parchment to Dust," Seidman offers a brief history of the phenomenon of constitutional skepticism and then proceeds to a masterful takedown of our most cherished, constitutionally enshrined institutions and beliefs, from the Supreme Court ("an arrogant elite in robes"), to the very concepts of civil rights, due process, and equal protection—all of which he argues are just pretenses for preserving a fundamentally rigged and inequitable status quo.

Rather than rely on the specific wording of a flawed and outdated document, rife with "Madison's mistakes," Seidman proposes instead a version that better reflects our shared values and leaves it to people currently alive to determine how these values will play out in contemporary society.

"From Parchment to Dust" is a short, sharp, and iconoclastic book questioning the value (and ultimately the hypocrisy) of embracing the Constitution—which, after all, was written more than 230 years ago—as our moral and political lodestar. It challenges us to think critically about the principles and values that guide our society and to consider whether they are still relevant and applicable in the modern world.

Seidman's arguments are thought-provoking and challenging, and they will undoubtedly spark further debate and discussion among those who value the Constitution and the American experiment. Whether you agree with him or not, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in constitutional law and the future of our nation.

Weight: 508g
Dimension: 149 x 225 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781620976364