The Old Law and the New Order.
First Edition of Alger's 1913 Progressive Era Critique of American Jurisprudence Alger, George W[illiam], [1872-1967]. The Old Law and the New Order. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913. First edition. [6], 295, [1] pp. Octavo (7-1/2" x 5"; 19.1 x 12.7cm). Publisher's blue cloth with gilt stamped spine and blind frames to boards. Moderate shelfwear with some rubbing to spine and extremities. Previous owner's signature to front free endpaper, otherwise internally clean. A very good copy. $200. * A collection of essays by American progressive thinker and social critic George William Alger that examines the American legal system at the turn of the 20th century. Alger explores the tension between traditional, rigid legal frameworks ("the old law") and a rapidly evolving, industrialized society ("the new order"). He argues that while old laws successfully maintained order in the past, they were becoming insufficient for modern economic and social realities. The text explores criticisms of the failures and slow-moving nature of the criminal justice system and courts along with an analysis of the relationship between executive power, evolving social norms, labor and industry regulation. Alger's essays directly challenge the rigid "formalism" of 19th-century courts, which frequently struck down labor and safety laws under the guise of "freedom of contract." This book serves as an essential primary document illustrating how early 20th-century lawyers fought to adapt constitutional law to the realities of industrialization, labor exploitation and growing corporate monopoly power.
Price: $200.00
Book number 87190