Politische Autonomie

The book develops a conception of political autonomy based on the idea of individual autonomy. As a variant of a theory of deliberative democracy, it nevertheless deviates from conventional notions of democratic legitimacy. Its fundamental concepts are autonomous norm-justification and reasonable convergence, rather than popular sovereignty and the majority rule. Central to this conception are also argumentative demands placed on citizens themselves. For compensating the resulting legitimacy deficits, institutions such as independent constitutional courts are claimed to be essential components of a democracy. The book is aimed at legal philosophers, legal scholars, and anyone interested in questions of political legitimacy.