Western Legal Traditions by Martin Vranken
Western Legal Traditions A Comparison of Civil Law and Common Law By Martin Vranken Federation Press – 2015 – 208 pages The rule of law constitutes the hallmark of contemporary Western society. However, public perceptions and attitudes to the law can vary in space and time. This book explores legal solutions to selected problem scenarios in their broader historical, economic, political and societal context. The focus is on the legal traditions of civil law and common law. The book is premised on the assumption - indeed, the conviction - that use of the comparative method both facilitates and promotes a deeper understanding of the society in which we live and the rules by which it is shaped. Major 'threads' that run through the book are the relationship between law and morality, the role of the state in regulating human interaction, as well as the relationship between the state and the individual. As a practical matter, the text is divided into 3 Parts. A first Part provides va