
The Return of George Sutherland
Restoring a Jurisprudence of Natural Rights
Hadley Arkes(Author)
Princeton University Press
Published on 22. April 1997
Book
Paperback/Softback
312 pages
978-0-691-01628-3 (ISBN)
Description
In this book, Hadley Arkes seeks to restore, for a new generation, the jurisprudence of the late Justice of the Supreme Court George Sutherland--a jurisprudence anchored in the understanding of natural rights. The doctrine of natural rights has become controversial in our own time, while Sutherland has been widely maligned and screened from our historical memory. He is remembered today as one of the "four horsemen" who resisted Roosevelt and the New Deal; but we have forgotten his leadership in the cause of voting rights for women. Both liberal and conservative jurists now deride Sutherland, yet both groups continue to draw upon his writings. Liberals look to Sutherland for a jurisprudence that protects "privacy" against the rule of majorities, as in matters concerning abortion or gay rights. Conservatives will appeal to his defense of freedom in the economy. However, both liberals and conservatives deny the premises of natural rights that provided the ground, and coherence, of Sutherland's teaching. Arkes contends that Sutherland can supply what is missing in both conservative and liberal jurisprudence.
He argues that if a new generation can look again, with unclouded eyes, at the writings of Sutherland, both liberals and conservatives can be led back to the moral ground of their jurisprudence. This compelling intellectual biography introduces readers to an urbane man, and a steely judge, who has been made a stranger to them.
He argues that if a new generation can look again, with unclouded eyes, at the writings of Sutherland, both liberals and conservatives can be led back to the moral ground of their jurisprudence. This compelling intellectual biography introduces readers to an urbane man, and a steely judge, who has been made a stranger to them.
Reviews / Votes
"Advocating that the Supreme Court again espouse natural- rightsjurisprudence is an ambitious undertaking, as is attempting to rehabilitate the Supreme Court justice who, for many, personifies the ideas behind substantive due process. Hadley Arkes accomplishes both tasks with rhetorical skill and intellectual tenacity... An important book ... that challenges us to view constitutional rights afresh through the powerful lens of natural law."--Steven J. Eagle, The Wall Street Journal "Clearly and cogently and even dramatically done... Hadley Arkes leads us into the deepest jungles of constitutional thought... His is a stimulating safari."--Louis Auchincloss, The New Criterion "Arkes's work is a welcome addition to this emerging body of constitutional thought. If given the attention it deserves, it may well fulfill both objectives embodied in its title."--Judge Alex Kozinski, National ReviewMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New Jersey
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
1 halftone
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
509 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-691-01628-3 (9780691016283)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2021
1st Edition
Princeton University Press
€51.99
Available for download
Person
Hadley Arkes is the Edward Ney Professor of Jurisprudence and American Institutions at American College. His books include First Things and Beyond the Constitution (Both published by Princeton University Press).
Content
PrefaceAcknowledgmentsCh. IThe Figure in the Carpet3Ch. IIFrom the Frontier to the Court: The Shaping of a Mind39Ch. IIIA Jurisprudence of Natural Rights51Ch. IVThe Heavenly World of the New Deal Lawyers83Ch. VThe Puzzle of the Commerce Clause119Ch. VIUndoing the Discipline of the Constitution: Delegations of Authority and Independent Counsels159Ch. VII"In This Vast External Realm ... ": The Imperatives of Foreign Policy and the Dissolving of the Constitution196Ch. VIIISutherland and the Mysteries of the Law242Index293