An Inquiry into the Existence of Global Values: Through the Lens of Comparative Constitutional Law

The world appears to be globalizing economically, technologically, and even, to a halting extent, politically. This process of globalization raises the possibility of an international legal framework, a possibility which has gained pressing relevance in the wake of the recent global economic crisis. But, for any international legal framework to exist, normative agreement between countries – with very differing political, economic, cultural, and legal traditions – becomes necessary. This book explores the possibility of such a normative agreement through the prism of national constitutional norms. Since 1945, more than a hundred countries have adopted constitutional texts which incorporate, at least in part, a Bill of Rights. These texts reveal significant similarities, which are examined in the book. From these national studies, the book analyzes the rise of constitutionalism since World War II and charts the possibility of a consensus of values which might plausibly underpin an effective and legitimate international legal order.