Toward a Theory of Governance The Action of Norms

For more than a century Western democracies have struggled to keep faith with both economic efficiency and social justice. Yet reconciliation of these factors remains as baffling as ever. Among the many voices clamoring today for a theory of collective action, we hear most often of the great chasm between iquest;legitimacyiquest; and iquest;efficiencyiquest;. it is the contention of the authors of this ground-breaking book that these antinomies can be seen as distinct iquest;moments of applicationiquest; in the operation of normative judgement, and that a reflexive treatment of norms of collective action, by clarifying limitations in rules and beliefs, allows us to develop mechanisms to correct the limiting effects of such judgements and act accordingly. Drawing on and developing recent trends in the social sciences, The Action of Norms presents a powerful new theory of governance with far-reaching implications For The future of law, The judiciary, and justice itself. Among the contributing modern ideas that are explained and developed as pillars of the authorsiquest; thesis are the following: critiques of the iquest;political theory of interest groupsiquest;; the economic theory of efficiency; deliberative democracy; rational choice theory; the evolutionist debate; learning process theory; and the theory of risk. Lenoble and Maesschalck achieve a remarkable synthesis of relevant thought about forms of social organizationiquest;from Kant and Fichte through Hayek, Rawls, and Habermas to current theoryiquest;and place it at the service of a new and effective theory of the norm that promises to greatly elucidate the role of law and legal practice in the continuing development of democratic institutions.Lenoble, Jacques is the author of 'Toward a Theory of Governance The Action of Norms', published 2003 under ISBN 9789041121462 and ISBN 9041121463.