Title: Legal naturalism : a Marxist theory of law /
Authors: Taiwo, Olufemi, 1956-
Publisher: Cornell University Press,
Year: 1996
Subjects: Marx, Karl,; Natural law; Law and socialism.
Abstract: Legal Naturalism advances a clear and convincing case that Marx's theory of law is a form of natural law jurisprudence. It explicates both Marx's writings and the idea of natural law, and makes a forceful contribution to current debates on the foundations of law. Olufemi Taiwo argues that embedded in the corpus of Marxist writing is a plausible, adequate, and coherent legal theory. In this sophisticated, well-written book, he describes Marx's general concept of law, which he calls "legal naturalism." For Marxism, natural law isn't a permanent verity; it refers to the basic law of a given epoch or social formation which is an essential aspect of its mode of production. Capitalist law is thus natural law in a capitalist society and is politically and morally progressive relative to the laws of preceding social formations.
Contents: 1. The Foundation: Marx on Law and Laws -- 2. A Marxist Theory of Natural Law -- 3. Laying Down the Law: The Positivization of Natural Law -- 4. On the Autonomy of Law -- 5. Change and Continuity in Law -- 6. Should Law Wither Away?