Schmitt on Sovereignty and the State of Exception

A Commentary on Carl Schmitt's 'Politische Theologie'
Erscheinungsjahr 2025
ISBN: 978-3-031-91727-1
Verlag: Springer Nature Switzerland

Buch, Englisch, 99 Seiten, Format (B × H): 153 mm x 216 mm, Gewicht: 261 g

Reihe: Palgrave Studies in Classical Liberalism

This Palgrave Pivot offers a balanced and impartial commentary on one of the most important of the early writings by the German legal scholar Carl Schmitt. The book is known mostly by its title but Schmitt’s subtitle indicated that his book was on more than political theology, but was focused on conceptions of sovereignty, authority, and the ‘state of exception’.

The author shows how the published in 1922 clearly formulated Schmitt’s thinking regarding decisionism, dictatorship, and sovereignty, and how these notions intertwined to propose a governmental model opposed to parliamentary democracy. The book illuminates Carl Schmitt’s role in theorising the ‘state of exception’ as he engaged in debates with those who contended that democratic principles were crucial. Schmitt insisted there needs to be a sovereign individual whose authority provides an immediate decision to the ‘state of exception.’ This book will be of interest to scholars of legal and political philosophy, as well as those interested broadly in ideas of classical liberalism, wartime political economy, authoritarianism and socio-economic influences on legal thinking.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Adair-Toteff, Christopher

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Wirtschaftspolitik, politische Ökonomie
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Theorie, Politische Philosophie
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Sozialphilosophie, Politische Philosophie
• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Rechtsphilosophie, Rechtsethik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Schmitt and Dictatorship.- Chapter 3. Schmitt and Sovereignty.- Chapter 4. 'Die Diktatur des Reichspräsidenten'.- Chapter 5. Conclusion: Decisionism, Authority, Sovereignty, and the 'State of Exception'.

Über Autor(innen)

Christopher Adair-Toteff is a philosopher and social theorist who has concentrated on social-political and social-economic issues in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Germany. His recent books include (Palgrave 2020) and (Palgrave 2024), both published as part of the series Palgrave Studies in Classical Liberalism.