Dictatorship

"At last Carl Schmitt's Dictatorship is available in English. His study and analysis of this concept is key to understanding the varieties of dictatorship." George Schwab, National Committee on American Foreign Policy "Dictatorship is the first book ever entirely devoted to the topic of emergency powers. Written as Germany's fledgeling Weimar Republic resorted to emergency measures to confront insurrections from both the Left and the Right, Dictatorship explores the historical origins and philosophical justifications of extraordinary executive action. A fascinating historical document and a prescient, insightful resource for contemporary debates in political theory and constitutional law." John P. McCormick, University of Chicago

Carl Schmitt (1888-1985) is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important and influential political theorists of the twentieth century.

Translators Introduction Foreword to the fourth edition (1978) Foreword to the third edition (1964) Foreword to the second edition (1928) Preliminary remarks to the first edition (1921) I Commissary Dictatorship and the theory of the state II The praxis of royal commissars up to the 18th century III The transition to sovereign dictatorship in the theory of the state of the 18th century IV The concept of sovereign dictatorship V The praxis of the peoples commissars during the French Revolution VI Dictatorship in the contemporary constitution (the state of besiegement) Appendix: The Dictatorship of the Reichsprsident according to Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution pp. 211-57 I Common interpretation of Article 48, Paragraph 2 today II The regulation of Article 48, Paragraph 2 as a provisorium III General limitation of competence based on Article 48, Paragraph 2 IV The law of implementation [Ausfngsgesetz] regarding Article 48 RV INDEX OF NAMES INDEX OF SUBJECTS GLOSSARY