The Story of Constitutions (Comparative Constitutional Law and Policy)

Today, 189 out of 193 officially recognised nation-states have a written constitution, and 75% of these have been ratified since 1975. How did this worldwide diffusion of constitutions come about? In this book, Wim Voermans traces the varied and surprising story of constitutions since the agricultural revolution of c.10,000 bce. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, Voermans shows how human evolution, human nature and the history of thought have all played their part in shaping modern constitutions. Constitutions, in turn, have shaped our societies, creating imagined communities of trust and recognition that allow us to successfully co-operate with one another. Engagingly and wittily told, the story of constitutions is vital to understanding our world, our civilisations and, most significantly, ourselves.

Wim Voermans is Professor of Constitutional Law at Leiden University. His research focuses on comparative constitutional law, the evolution of human groups into political societies and the genesis of constitutions, legitimacy and storytelling. Voermans has written widely on subjects related to constitutional law, including European Law, Administrative Law (and the dynamics of the Administrative State) and legislative issues. His last four books have become bestsellers in the Netherlands, selling thousands of copies over the last three years.