This book explains the current weakness of democratic polities by examining deep paradoxes in constitutional democracy. It argues that democracy is frequently exposed to crisis because the terms in which it is promoted and justified allow anti-democratic movements, typically with a populist emphasis, to take shape and flourish.

Explains the current weakness of democratic polities by addressing paradoxes in constitutional democracy and its theoretical foundations.

'This brilliant book revolutionizes many well established assumptions. First, there are no old democracies. Until about 1950 the citizen of law was constituted by the citizen of war. The bonded man became free at the price of national service. Universal suffrage was rigidly coupled to universal conscription. Instead of democracy the people got authoritarian populism. Second, only after 1950 was equal participation of all sexes, nationalities and social classes realized. Third, it was not national sovereignty but transnationally constituted human rights that made democracy. After reading this outstanding book, we know that the only cure against populism is more global constitutional law.' Hauke Brunkhorst, European University Flensburg, Germany