Democratic Crisis and Global Constitutional Law

Explains the current weakness of democratic polities by addressing paradoxes in constitutional democracy and its theoretical foundations.

Christopher Thornhill (Author)

9781108791120, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 January 2021

280 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.38 kg

'… offering a comprehensive explanation of the contemporary phenomenon of populism, Thornhill delves into the origins of the modern state and traces the formation and evolution of the sovereign political subject - citizen - over the centuries until today.' Katarzyna Krzyżanowska, Jindal Global Law Review

Democratic Crisis and Global Constitutional Law explains the current weakness of democratic polities by examining antinomies in constitutional democracy and its theoretical foundations. This book argues that democracy is usually analysed in a theoretical lens that is not adequately sensitive to its historical origins. The author proposes a new sociological framework for understanding democracy and its constitutional preconditions, stressing the linkage between classical patterns of democratic citizenship and military processes and arguing that democratic stability at the national level relies on the formation of robust normative systems at the international level. On this basis, he argues that democracy is frequently exposed to crisis because the normative terms in which it is promoted and justified tend to simplify its nature. These terms create a legitimising space in which anti-democratic movements, typically with a populist emphasis, can take shape and flourish.

Introduction
1. Democratic Subjects and Social Process
2. Democracy and Militarization
3. Democracy and Global Law
4. Populism as Misunderstood Democracy
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Constitutional & administrative law [LND], Law & society [LAQ], Regional government policies [JPRB], Political structures: democracy [JPHV], Politics & government [JP], Sociology [JHB], Social forecasting, future studies [JFFR], Social & political philosophy [HPS]