This book aims to distil the essentials of liberal constitutionalism from the jurisprudence and practice of contemporary liberal-democratic states. Most constitutional theorists have despaired of a liberal consensus on the fundamental goals of constitutional order. Instead they have contented themselves either with agreement on lower-level principles on which those who disagree on fundamentals may coincidentally converge, or, alternatively with a process for translating fundamental disgreement into acceptable laws. Alan Brudner suggests a conception of fundamental justice that liberals of competing philosophic schools may accept as fulfilling their own basic commitments. He argues that the model liberal-democratic constitution is best understood as a unity of three constitutional frameworks: libertarian, egalitarian, and communitarian. Each of these has a particular conception of public reason. Brudner criticizes each of these frameworks insofar as its organizing conception claims to be fundamental, and moves forward to suggest an Hegelian conception of public reason within which each framework is contained as a constituent element of a whole. When viewed in this light, the liberal constitution embodies a surprising synthesis. It reconciles a commitment to individual liberty and freedom of conscience with the perfectionist idea that the state ought to cultivate a type of personality whose fundamental ends are the goods essential to dignity. Such a reconciliation, the author suggests, may attract competing liberalisms to a consensus on an inclusive conception of public reason under which political authority is validated for those who share a confidence in the individual's inviolable worth.

About the Author
Alan Brudner is Albert Abel Professor of Law at the University of Toronto.

Reviews
Addressing fundamental issues in public law, [the book] also engages with a host of questions in political philosophy and is not afraid to develop a sweeping and original line of argument that challenges current orthodoxy. * Nigel Simmonds, The Cambridge Law Journal *
The author of Constitutional Goods has made a major contribution to political philosophy and constitutional theory. The book provides a fascinating and persuasive exposition of the foundations of liberal constitutionalism, supporting its majestic ambitions with powerful abstract analysis and finely nuanced detail...It is altogether a superb achievement, and no serious constitutional theorist can ignore its powerful claim on his attention. * T.R.S. Allan, University of Toronto Law Journal *
There can be no doubting the fact that this is a major contribution to constitutional scholarship, one that bears comparison with any work of constitutional scholarship to have been published in recent times. * Martin Loughlin, Public Law *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199225798
Author Alan Brudner
Format Paperback
Page Count 464
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 692g
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 156mm * 25mm