The Structure of Liberty: Justice and the Rule of Law

"Already the book is on its way to becoming a contemporary classic, the successor in interest to Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State and Utopia . . ."--Michigan Law Review

"This is a serious, engaging, and important work of jurisprudence . . . Comprehensive in its treatment, fair-minded in the way it deals with evidence and unfailingly rigorous in its argument."--Choice

What is liberty, as opposed to license, and why is it so important? Drawing upon insights from philosophy, economics, political theory, and law, Randy Barnett examines the serious social problems that are addressed by liberty--and the background or "natural" rights and "rule of law" procedures that distinguish liberty from license. He then skillfully outlines the constitutional framework that is needed to protect this structure of liberty. Although this controversial work is intended to challenge specialists, its clear and accessible prose ensure that it will be of immense value to those working in a range of disciplines.