This Palgrave Pivot offers a balanced and impartial commentary on one of the most important of the early writings by the German legal scholar Carl Schmitt. The book is known mostly by its title Politische Theologie but Schmitt's subtitle indicated that his book was on more than political theology, but was focused on conceptions of sovereignty, authority, and the 'state of exception'.

The author shows how the Politische Theologie published in 1922 clearly formulated Schmitt's thinking regarding decisionism, dictatorship, and sovereignty, and how these notions intertwined to propose a governmental model opposed to parliamentary democracy. The book illuminates Carl Schmitt's role in theorising the 'state of exception' as he engaged in debates with those who contended that democratic principles were crucial. Schmitt insisted there needs to be a sovereign individual whose authority provides an immediate decision to the 'state of exception.' This book will be of interest to scholars of legal and political philosophy, as well as those interested broadly in ideas of classical liberalism, wartime political economy, authoritarianism and socio-economic influences on legal thinking.

Examines three key works by Carl Schmitt that outline his thinking on sovereignty and dictatorship Demonstrates how Carl Schmitt came to be known as the theorist of the 'state of exception' Explores how the Weimar Constitution and socioeconomic factors enabled the undermining of liberalism and democracy

Autorentext

Christopher Adair-Toteff ist ein Philosoph und Sozialtheoretiker, der sich auf sozialpolitische und sozialökomische Themen im späten neunzehnten und frühen zwanzigsten Jahrhundert in Deutschland konzentriert hat. Zu seinen jüngsten Büchern gehören: Carl Schmitt on Law and Liberalism (Palgrave 2020), Max Weber's Path from Political Economy to Social Economics (Routledge 2021) and The Early Austrian School of Economics: Money, Value, Capital (Routledge 2022). Er hat auch Fundamental Concepts in Max Weber's Sociology of Religion (Palgrave 2015) veröffentlicht.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Schmitt and Dictatorship.- Chapter 3. Schmitt and Sovereignty.- Chapter 4. 'Die Diktatur des Reichspräsidenten'.- Chapter 5. Conclusion: Decisionism, Authority, Sovereignty, and the 'State of Exception'.