General Theory of Law and State

by Hans Kelsen, Anders Wedberg (Translator)

Reprint of the first edition. This classic work by the important Austrian jurist is the fullest exposition of his enormously influential pure theory of law, which includes a theory of the state. It also has an extensive appendix that discusses the pure theory in comparison with the law of nature, positivism, historical natural law, metaphysical dualism and scientific-critical philosophy.

Genres: Law, Philosophy, Politics, Nonfiction

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Hans Kelsen was an Austrian jurist, legal philosopher and political philosopher. He was the author of the 1920 Austrian Constitution, which to a very large degree is still valid today. Due to the rise of totalitarianism in Austria (and a 1929 constitutional change), Kelsen left for Germany in 1930 but was forced to leave this university post after Hitler's seizure of power in 1933 because of his Jewish ancestry. That year he left for Geneva and later moved to the United States in 1940. In 1934, Roscoe Pound lauded Kelsen as "undoubtedly the leading jurist of the time." While in Vienna, Kelsen met Sigmund Freud and his circle, and wrote on the subject of social psychology and sociology.

By the 1940s, Kelsen's reputation was already well established in the United States for his defense of democracy and for his Pure Theory of Law. Kelsen's academic stature exceeded legal theory alone and extended to political philosophy and social theory as well. His influence encompassed the fields of philosophy, legal science, sociology, the theory of democracy, and international relations.

Reviews

[Anderson Paz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nessa obra, Kelsen condensa sua doutrina do direito e Estado desenvolvida até 1944 (data do prefácio). Basicamente, Kelsen busca mostrar como a teoria pura é monista e identifica direito com Estado. Na primeira parte, Kelsen apresenta sua concepção de direito e sua rejeição do jusnaturalismo. Posteriormente, desenvolve a doutrina de Estado na teoria pura. Por fim, no apêndice, compara a doutrina do direito natural com o positivismo, defendendo esta última. A doutrina da teoria pura é problemática em muitos sentidos.

[Sebas G. Baez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Está bien, pero me choca que se contrapone al ius naturalismo, para luego decir que el derecho se respalda en el derecho. Dude, what the fuck? Es caer nuevamente en la creencia de que el derecho se da por la naturaleza. De ahí en fuera, me parece interesante como explica los tipos de poderes y las diferencias entre el derecho nacional e internacional.

P.D.: No lo volveré a leer en mi vida, qué maldito dolor de cabeza.

[Galang Brillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is goods

[Yudha]

yogs