The Prince and the Professor: A Dialogue on the Place of a Monarchy in the 21st Century. Dieser Artikel ist nicht verfügbar.The Prince and the Professor: A Dialogue on the Place of a Monarchy in the 21st Century

This work takes the form of a series of conversations between an imaginary young prince and an emeritus professor of constitutional law. Thus, it echoes the famous dialogue of Sir John Fortescue, "In Praise of the Laws of England", between an old chancellor and a young prince written in 1468-71, in which he explains to the Prince the fundamental difference between the English concept of kingship and that on the Continent. This distinction, which Fortescue was the first to recognize, is expressed in two maxims: that of English law that "the king must be under no man but under God and the law, for the law makes the king"; and Roman law that "what pleases the prince has the force of law". The British constitutional monarchy has been the product of the first principle, whereas the absolutist approach on the Continent has largely been founded on Roman ideas of law and government, reinforced by Machiavelli. This difference still underlies the approach at Westminster and in Brussels, where, the Professor reminded the Prince, the directives which the European Commissioners are pleased to issue have the force of law. In their conversations, the Professor draws on the great constitutional heritage of this country to outline a possible role for a monarch in the 21st century. He suggests that the concern of the sovereign must go beyond politics to the future well-being of the nation. It is a demanding role, requiring a deep knowledge of law and history, courage, alertness - the price of liberty is eternal vigilance - and breadth of view, for "where there is no vision, the people perish". A number of other topics are discussed, including: sovereignty; the pros and cons of a republic; Plato on freedom and democracy; the notion of contract underlying a written constitution; and the medieval concept of status in the British constitution. L.L. Blake is the author of "Sovereignty: Power Beyond Politics", "Young People's Book of the Constitution" and "Young People's Book of Law".