Legal Naturalism: A Marxist Theory of Law

Legal Naturalism advances a clear and convincing case that Marx's theory of law is a form of natural law jurisprudence. It explicates both Marx's writings and the idea of natural law, and makes a forceful contribution to current debates on the foundations of law. Olufemi Taiwo argues that embedded in the corpus of Marxist writing is a plausible, adequate, and coherent legal theory. He describes Marx's general concept of law, which he calls "legal naturalism." For Marxism, natural law isn't a permanent verity; it refers to the basic law of a given epoch or social formation which is an essential aspect of its mode of production. Capitalist law is thus natural law in a capitalist society and is politically and morally progressive relative to the laws of preceding social formations.

Taiwo emphasizes that these formations are dialectical or dynamic, not merely static, so that the law which is naturally appropriate to a capitalist economy will embody tensions and contradictions that replicate the underlying conflicts of that economy. In addition, he discusses the enactment and reform of "positive law"—law established by government institutions—in a Marxian framework.

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Legal Naturalism: A Marxist Theory of Law

Legal Naturalism advances a clear and convincing case that Marx's theory of law is a form of natural law jurisprudence. It explicates both Marx's writings and the idea of natural law, and makes a forceful contribution to current debates on the foundations of law. Olufemi Taiwo argues that embedded in the corpus of Marxist writing is a plausible, adequate, and coherent legal theory. He describes Marx's general concept of law, which he calls "legal naturalism." For Marxism, natural law isn't a permanent verity; it refers to the basic law of a given epoch or social formation which is an essential aspect of its mode of production. Capitalist law is thus natural law in a capitalist society and is politically and morally progressive relative to the laws of preceding social formations.

Taiwo emphasizes that these formations are dialectical or dynamic, not merely static, so that the law which is naturally appropriate to a capitalist economy will embody tensions and contradictions that replicate the underlying conflicts of that economy. In addition, he discusses the enactment and reform of "positive law"—law established by government institutions—in a Marxian framework.

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Legal Naturalism: A Marxist Theory of Law

Legal Naturalism: A Marxist Theory of Law

by Olufemi Taiwo
Legal Naturalism: A Marxist Theory of Law

Legal Naturalism: A Marxist Theory of Law

by Olufemi Taiwo

eBook

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Overview

Legal Naturalism advances a clear and convincing case that Marx's theory of law is a form of natural law jurisprudence. It explicates both Marx's writings and the idea of natural law, and makes a forceful contribution to current debates on the foundations of law. Olufemi Taiwo argues that embedded in the corpus of Marxist writing is a plausible, adequate, and coherent legal theory. He describes Marx's general concept of law, which he calls "legal naturalism." For Marxism, natural law isn't a permanent verity; it refers to the basic law of a given epoch or social formation which is an essential aspect of its mode of production. Capitalist law is thus natural law in a capitalist society and is politically and morally progressive relative to the laws of preceding social formations.

Taiwo emphasizes that these formations are dialectical or dynamic, not merely static, so that the law which is naturally appropriate to a capitalist economy will embody tensions and contradictions that replicate the underlying conflicts of that economy. In addition, he discusses the enactment and reform of "positive law"—law established by government institutions—in a Marxian framework.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781501701733
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Publication date: 11/12/2015
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 228
File size: 2 MB
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Olufemi Taiwo is Professor of Africana Studies at Cornell University. He is the author of How Colonialism Preempted Modernity in Africa and Africa Must Be Modern: A Manifesto.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

1 The Foundation: Marx on Law and Laws 7

2 A Marxist Theory of Natural Law 34

3 Laying Down the Law: The Positivization of Natural Law 79

4 On the Autonomy of Law 123

5 Change and Continuity in Law 142

6 Should Law Wither Away? 164

Selected Bibliography 205

Index 211

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