A Legal Theory without Law

Posner v. Hayek on Economic Analysis of Law

by Ernst-Joachim Mestmacker

Book cover: A Legal Theory without Law

Extent: 66 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Law

Series: Beiträge zur Ordnungstheorie und Ordnungspolitik

Series volume number: 174

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(December 2007)

ISBN: 9783161492761

Price: $37.00

In stock

Ernst-Joachim Mestmacker reviews Richard Posner’s and Friedrich A.von Hayek’s legal theories. Both are famous for their contributions to law and economics. They are, however, adversaries in their concepts of law and how it is to be informed by economics. Posner finds the only scientific legal theory in the external (economic) analysis of law. With Friedrich von Hayek the role of rules of conduct and legislation is to be determined by the principles that govern a free and competitive order. There are, contrary to Posner, important contributions from legal scholarship, legal history and comparative law.

  • By (author) Ernst-Joachim Mestmacker