From the Laws of Rulers to the Rule of Law: Inquiries into the Crossbreeds of Civilizations

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Erik Cornell provides a compelling comparative account of the rise of law, democracy, and human rights across the world, providing a broad and readable historical perspective on the origins of our institutions. Cornell¹s long experience in the diplomatic world ­ including North Korea, Turkey and West Africa ­ allows him to reflect on the evolution of societies command the attention of practitioners and theoreticians alike. This concise study offers a stimulating and ultimately optimistic rumination on the possibility of broadly accepted legal norms in modern national and international relations.

Here is the seed from which the pluralism and division of power grew that is regarded to be the fundamental element in the democratic state governed by the rule of law. This study underlines not only the technology and economics but also the ideas that offer important clues to the understanding of the world in which we live. It also offers alternative solutions to the problems of coexistence of peoples and nations belonging to different civilizations. There exists a road to political pluralism and the milestones of that road are rule of law, democracy and human rights. Viewed from a Northern European perspective, although all participants on that road may not become alike, tolerance and decency may lead us all forwards.

“A compelling comparative account of the rise of law, democracy, and human rights across the world, one that provides a broad and readable historical perspective on the origins of our institutions.”

– Francis Fukuyama, Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Stanford University

“Revered for his skills as a diplomat, Cornell is much more than that: a representative of that elite of the diplomatic world whose deeper
reflections on the evolution of societies command the attention of
practitioners and theoreticians alike. This concise book offers a
stimulating and ultimately optimistic rumination on the possibility of
broadly accepted legal norms in modern national and international
relations.”

– S. Frederick Starr, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

“Here is the seed from which the pluralism and division of power grew that is regarded to be the fundamental element in the democratic state governed by the rule of law… A book well worth reading which, in a meritorious way, underlines not only the technology and economics but also the ideas that offer important clues to the understanding of the world in which we live.”

– Per Bauhn (writing in Svenska Dagbladet), Carolus Linnaeus University, Kalmar & Växiö

“A work that offers alternative solutions to the problems of coexistence of peoples and nations belonging to different civilizations. There exists a road to political pluralism and the milestones of that road are rule of law, democracy and human rights. Although all participants on that road may not become alike, tolerance and decency may lead us all forwards.”

– Torsten Örn (writing in Jönköpingsposten), Former Ambassador of Sweden to Russia and Germany, Former Director of the Political Department, Foreign Ministry of Sweden

– 248 pages

Published by Bennett & Bloom, January 2013

About the author

ERIK CORNELL was commissioned into the Royal Svea Lifeguards of Sweden in 1953 before entering the University of Stockholm, from which he gained a BA in History and a Masters in Political Science. He joined the Swedish Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1958 and served in Bonn, Geneva, Warsaw, Addis Ababa, and as Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. He was appointed Chargé d¹Affaires in Pyongyang, North Korea in 1975 thus opening the first and only Western embassy in the country. In 1977 he became Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission in Geneva, Ambassador to West Africa in 1983, and Ambassador to Turkey in 1990. After retiring he served as Chargé d¹Affaires in Sarajevo in 1996. Works include Turkey in the Twenty-first Century (2001), North Korea under Communism, Report of an Envoy to Paradise (2002 & 2005), and Revolutionärernas förräderi (The Treason of the Revolutionaries: Africa after the Cold War 2004).

FROM THE LAWS OF RULERS TO THE RULE OF LAW: INQUIRIES INTO THE CROSSBREEDS OF CIVILIZATIONS

Contents

1. The Two Steps: The Rule of Love and the Rule of Law
The quest for power and the survival of tribal gods; Society vs state: the losers; Conquerors or winners?; Democracies, derived and achieved

2. The Fruitful Crossbreed: The Origin of Westphalia
The fruitful crossbreed; The Gothic spirit; Feudalism: the key to the future; The road to scientific revolution…; …and its breakthrough; The road to pluralism: the Western symphony orchestra; In conclusion

3. Eastern Europe: Wrestling with Antagonistic Dualism
The experiment of the Kievskaya Rus; Moscow as the Third Rome: the crossbreed that failed; The catastrophe of the state socialist experiment

4. Turkey: From Ottoman Autocracy to Turkish Pluralism
The volunteer of pluralism; Religious reaction, political extremism, military counter-reaction ; Victory of pluralism, consolidation of party politics; Secular rule vs ambitions of faith; A growing crisis of confidence

5. Westernization: Reflections on Russia and Turkey
Temporal and spiritual; Stalinism and Kemalism; Pragmatism and mysticism; Oscillations of the new millennium; At the crossroads

6. The Muslim Tapestry: The whole and holy world of Islam
The oneness of Islam; Pitfalls of the points of departure; The umma of migrants; Islam and pluralism

7. The Confucian World: Complementary Dualism
Far Eastern distinctions: aspects of time and language; East is East and West is West; A Confucian digest; Complementary dualism expressing oneness…; …and the will of Heaven; Legal concepts; Koreancharacteristics; The Asian Tiger economies; Japan the pioneer; The fertile soil of complementary dualism

8. Around the Horizons: From Latin America to North Korea
Latin America; Asian religions and democracy, ethnicity and wealth; The Indian experiment; Glances at the South Asian kaleidoscope; The consequences of conquest; The powerful financial minorities and the mafia states; Excursion to North Korea; Hope or despair

9. Africa: The Continent of the Future
The local atmosphere; From colonialism to independence; Obstacles overlooked; Confronting reality; The epochs of coups d’etat; African prospects

10. Conquest: Overcoming the Consequences of Conquest The internal and external proletariats; The degree of decency as a pragmatic yardstick; The modern proletariats; Turning the tide; A new world order

11. Instead of Conquest: A Greenhouse for Crossbreeding
The key role of the rule of law; The essence of pluralism; The changing definitions of power; Respect for different timetables; The division of state power; Politicians and professionals; Corruption and mafia states; Promotion of mutual curiosity; A magnifying glass makes it easier to see the details…; …but distorts the overall impression…; …and vice-versa; The search for common values

Bibliography
Index