The Library has recently acquired Chris Thornhill’s book Democratic Crisis and Global Constitutional Law, which offers a timely and thought-provoking analysis of modern constitutional democracies and the challenges they face. Thornhill argues that what we often call the “old democracies” in fact only became genuine constitutional democracies after 1950. Only then was equal participation across gender, nationality, and social class secured. He also emphasizes that democracy has been shaped less by national sovereignty and more by the international development of human rights.
The book highlights how contemporary democratic states worldwide are increasingly marked by crisis. This crisis frequently takes the form of rising populist movements, which not only hinder the global spread of constitutional democracy but also blur the boundary between democratic and authoritarian regimes. While populism remains part of democratic political life, Thornhill warns that populist governments often erode democratic institutions and encourage authoritarian tendencies within democratic systems. This work suggests that more globalized constitutional law may provide the most effective response to populism and democratic decline.
Additionally, we invite you to explore other Thornhill’s books available through EBSCOhost eBook Academical collection. First of all „Sociological Constitutionalism“ ir „Law and the Formation of Modern Europe: Perspectives from the Historical Sociology of Law“, but also others.
