Kelsen, Weber and the Free Law Movement

PETER LANGFORD, Ian Bryan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

The article concentrates upon the emergence, in the first decade of the twentieth century, of the distinctive German language tradition of the sociology of law and, in particular, the early work of Hermann Kantorowicz, as the exemplary representative of the Free Law Movement (Freirechtsbewegung). The Free Law Movement challenges the preceding conception of judicial decision-making of Begriffsjurisprudenz, initiating the wider question of the status and foundation of a theory of law. The challenge is then considered through the engagement of Kelsen and Weber with Kantorowicz, tracing the appropriation of the insights of the Free Law Movement for a Kelsenian pure theory of positive law and for a Weberian sociology of law.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationJahrbuch für Soziologiegeschichte
EditorsCarsten Klingemann, Peter Merz-Benz
PublisherSpringer
Pages113-145
Number of pages32
ISBN (Print)978-3-658-30782-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Dec 2020

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