Uniquely blending anthropological and exchange theory, Professor Garvey offers a new interpretation of American constitutional development. His thesis: judicial reliance on a limited stock of received forms has inhibited the development of new concepts that could adequately reflect fundamental changes in society. Professor Garvey reviews the history of the Supreme Court in light of the "bricolage" theory. The Court, by interpreting the Constitution to effect laissez-faire and Social Darwinism, helped bring about a society ostensibly patterned on the buyer-seller model, marked by free exchange and "liberty of contract." New departures by the Court in the areas of free speech and criminal justice, according to the author, evidence a recognition of present inequities and a determination to change them; but to the extent the Court remains loyal to a buyer-seller model, it practices an unrealistic jurisprudence. Originally published in 1971. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This book analyses the unique constitutional system in operation in Thailand as a continuous process of bricolage between various Western constitutional models and Buddhist doctrines of Kingship. Reflecting on the category of 'constitutional monarchy' and its relationship with notions of the rule of law, it investigates the hybridised semi-authoritarian, semi-liberal monarchy that exists in Thailand. By studying constitutional texts and political practices in light of local legal doctrine, the book shows that the monarch's affirmation of extraordinary prerogative powers strongly rests on wider doctrinal claims about constitutionalism and the rule of law. This finding challenges commonly accepted assertions about Thailand, arguing that the King's political role is not the remnant of the 'unfinished' borrowing of Western constitutionalism, general disregard for the law, or cultural preference for 'charismatic authority', as generally thought. Drawing on materials and sources not previously available in English, this important work provides a comprehensive and critical account of the Thai 'mixed constitutional monarchy' from the late 19th century to the present day.

Combining theoretical sophistication with a fundamental comprehension of the political institutions of the USA, this study aims to demystify the workings of the United States Supreme Court and its place in democracy.

The Constitution of the United States of America: p. 641-662.