Albert Venn Dicey: Writings on Democracy and the Referendum

"Nineteenth-century politics and political theory, with implications for our biggest debates today: what are the limits to parliamentary sovereignty? When should the people be able to vote directly on issues? The thoughts of England's greatest constitutionalist, AV Dicey, on this crucial subject are presented for a modern audience"--

List of contents

1. The balance of classes (1867); 2. Democracy in Switzerland (1890); 3. Ought the referendum to be introduced into England? (1890); 4. The defence of the union (1892); 5. The referendum (1894); 6. Will the form of parliamentary government be permanent? (1899); 7. The referendum and its critics (1910); 8. The Parliament Act, 1911, and the destruction of all constitutional safeguards (1912); 9. Development during the last thirty years of new constitutional ideas (extract from the introduction to the eighth edition of introduction to the study of the law of the constitution, 1915).

Summary

What are the limits to parliamentary sovereignty? When should the people be able to vote directly on issues? The constitutional theorist Albert Venn Dicey (1835–1922) was a cogent advocate of the referendum. While his enthusiasm for the institution was widely acknowledged in his own day, thereafter this dimension of his career has been largely neglected. This fall into obscurity is partly explained by the fact that Dicey never collected his writings on referendums into a single volume. Consequently, during the prolonged crisis over Brexit, the implications of Dicey's thought were unclear, despite his standing as a foundational figure in British constitutional law. This timely modern edition brings together Dicey's sophisticated and intricate writings on the referendum, and it covers his attempts to construct a credible theory of democracy on a new intellectual and institutional basis. An original scholarly introduction analyzes Dicey's thought in light of its contemporary context.

Product details

• Authors: Albert Venn Dicey
• Assisted by: Gregory Conti (Editor), Conti Gregory (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.02.2023
• EAN: 9781108958172
• ISBN: 978-1-108-95817-2
• No. of pages: 274
• Series: Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought; Print on Demand
• Subjects: Education and learning > Teaching preparation > Vocational needs; History of Ideas, POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Politics & government, Political structures: democracy, Early 20th century c 1900 to c 1950, Political science and theory, For higher / tertiary / university education, Interest age: from c 17 years, Elections and referenda / suffrage, Academic style, Academism, Academicism