Three Anarchical Fallacies: An Essay on Political Authority (Cambridge Studies in Philosophy & Law) - Hardcover

Edmundson, William A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521624541 ISBN 13: 9780521624541

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1998

Synopsis

How is a legitimate state possible? Obedience, coercion and intrusion are three ideas that seem inseparable from all government and seem to render state authority presumptively illegitimate. This book exposes three fallacies inspired by these ideas and in doing so challenges assumptions shared by liberals, libertarians, cultural conservatives, moderates and Marxists. In three clear and tightly argued essays William Edmundson dispels these fallacies and shows that living in a just state remains a worthy ideal. This is an important book for all philosophers, political scientists and legal theorists as well as other readers interested in the views of Rawls, Dworkin and Nozick, many of whose central ideas are subjected to rigorous critique.

About this title

Review

'The 'fallacies' in the title are three assumptions which stand as obstacles to finding a successful account of state legitimacy. Edmundson examines these assumptions in impressive detail, deploying interesting, if controversial, arguments for rejecting them.' Political Studies

Book Description

Obedience, coercion and intrusion seem inseparable from all government and seem to render state authority presumptively illegitimate. This book exposes three fallacies inspired by these ideas and in doing so challenges assumptions shared by liberals, libertarians, cultural conservatives, moderates and Marxists. In three essays William Edmundson dispels these fallacies and shows that living in a just state remains a worthy ideal.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521624541
• ISBN 13: 9780521624541
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 206