Description
Trade ReviewIn this learned and rigorous volume, Kim accomplishes the seemingly impossible: reviving elements of Confucian thought for the twenty-first century without reifying hierarchy and authoritarianism. A wonderful contribution that reminds us of the vitality of the tradition and its relevance for today's complex and plural societies. * Tom Ginsburg, Leo Spitz Distinguished Service Professor of International Law and Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago Law School *
The twenty-first century may yet prove to be the Chinese Century. To understand that future, all of us will need to come to terms with a cultural tradition that stretches back over thousands of years. Sungmoon Kim has long assumed his rightful place among the leading scholars of both classical and contemporary Confucian law and politics, and this timely book crowns his already impressive achievements. * Eric Heinze, Professor of Law and Humanities, Queen Mary University of London *
Comprehensively and persuasively argued, Kim offers a case for a Confucian democratic constitutionalism in East Asian countries, one rooted in both the ethics and the institutional strains of Confucian thought, and grounded in the combination of rights and popular sovereignty that defines democracy. The approach stands out for its attentiveness to the circumstances of politics—the facts of pluralism and the realities of political conflict. A must-read for those interested in the future of democracy in East Asia. * Mark E. Warren, Harold and Dorrie Merilees Chair in the Study of Democracy, University of British Columbia *
Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; general readers. * Choice *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: A Short History of Confucian Constitutionalism 1. Virtue, Dignity, and Constitutional Democracy 2. Beyond the Pluralism Dilemma 3. Disagreement and Public Reason 4. The Meritocratic House and the Dignity of Legislation 5. The Rule of Law and the Place of Rights 6. Judicial Review and Constitutional Dialogue Conclusion Bibliography Index
