The Rule of Law: Politicizing Ethics (Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Philosophy)

The rule of law neither celebrates human rights nor simply ratifies whatever happens to be on the statute books. At its core it simply guarantees that laws, however immoral or unjust, penalise people only for what they do, and never for what they are. Yet even when its moral accretions are stripped away, the rule of law offers protections that morality itself has trouble maintaining. This book draws on contemporary moral theory, philosophy of law and political theory to explore the rule of law. Offering new perspectives on contemporary moral issues, particularly those related to race relations, cultural diversity, and "political correctness", Neumann argues that the rule of law does not compete with morality, but complements it, suggesting how, if we cannot find principles suitable to our societies, perhaps we can make societies that fit our principles.