Explore how the pillars of the rule of law—from the courts of ancient Athens to the Constitution of the United States—were built
In The Just and the Good, William Magnuson takes readers on a sweeping tour of the history of the law in Western civilization. He explains how foundational institutions like courts, codes, and constitutions magically transform the worlds they govern. And he argues that if we want to understand the foundations of freedom, justice, and democracy, we need to begin by looking at the history of the law.
In each chapter, Magnuson explores how the pillars of the rule of law were built. How did the courts of ancient Athens create the world's first democracy? Why did the barons of medieval England insist that King John sign the Magna Carta? What was so revolutionary about the American Constitution? And why did it take so long to abolish slavery? Magnuson shows that the answers to these questions are not always as simple as they seem. Good laws require ingenuity, problem-solving, and compromise.
A landmark work, The Just and the Good teaches us where our ideas of justice came from and why they are worth saving.
Reviews
"The Just and the Good balances wit with compassion, and a philosopher's insight with a historian's eye for detail. Whether recounting ancient Roman political intrigues or gritty Gilded Age trustbusting, Professor Magnuson brings the law to life and shows how the pursuit of justice is an eternal challenge and driving aspiration."—Jacob Eisler, Florida State University College of Law
"Professor Magnuson achieves the seemingly impossible—telling the sweeping history of law in Western civilization in a vivid, accessible, and human way. His story begins with Socrates and Ancient Greece, but along the way readers will meet everyone from famous Vikings to medieval kings to familiar figures like Hamilton, Napoleon, Lincoln, and Dr. King."—Tom Donnelly, University of Richmond School of Law
"We humans make our laws, and then our laws make us, William Magnuson explains—informatively, insightfully, elegantly. One of the best books on the history of law I've read in years."—H. W. Brands, University of Texas at Austin, author of The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin
About the Author
William J. Magnuson is a professor at Texas A&M Law School. He was formerly a journalist with the Washington Post and the Associated Press. He is the author of For Profit: A History of Corporations and Blockchain Democracy: Technology, Law, and the Rule of the Crowd.
