The Rule of Law in Retreat

In this warning to the globe, Redo has gathered the musings of highly respected authors on general challenges to the Rule of Law, and to specific concerns such as independence of the judiciary, freedom of mass media, populism, and corruption.

-- Philip Reichel, University of Northern Colorado

This is a brilliantly and logically organized volume. It includes erudite, clearly elucidated chapters on the differential challenges to and the erosion of the Rule of Law in 'Democratic' societies. Chapters by scholars on Poland, Hungary, Brazil, India, the EU and the U.S. outline different yet consistent authoritarian processes to interfere with the administration of justice. Central to these processes are autocratic executive interference with the independence of the judiciary and university legal education, the erosion in the separation of powers, and legislative manipulation of the electoral process.

But this manuscript also includes more optimistic, if not more modest, ideological options for progress in the promotion of respect for democracy and the Rule of Law. To wit: The relevance of Montesquieu’s and Machiavelli’s philosophies reinterpreted and adapted to current political, social, and even climatic challenges. Such is found in the closing and insightful chapters.

Unlike many edited volumes, this one has a clearly consistent theme, similarities of style, and progressive context and insight with each succeeding chapter. It is comprehensive yet parsimonious.

-- Paul C. Friday, University of North Carolina-Charl