Law Quote by Carl Schmitt
““The crisis of European jurisprudence began a century ago with the victory of legal positivism.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Political Theology, Carl Schmitt, 1922
Legal positivism shifted focus to law as rules, sidelining moral foundations, leading to a crisis in European legal thought.
In simple terms: Law became rule‑based, ignoring moral context.
Key Takeaway
Recognize moral dimensions in legal analysis.
Themes
law
philosophy
history
ethics
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- court decisions
- legal education
- policy drafting
- human rights advocacy
Key Concepts
legal positivism
jurisprudence
normative theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does law reflect societal values?
- Can rules alone ensure justice?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on rules can ignore justice and lived realities.
![“Just like we respect your legal system, you [europeans] should respect our legal system. You cannot impose your values on us, otherwise the world will become the law of the jungle. Every society decides what its laws are, and it's the people who make decisions with regards to these laws.” quote by Adel al-Jubeir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/105/adel-al-jubeir-16862_decision_just-like-we-respect-your-legal-system-y_2609496.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[Islam] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left for Muslims lies in their observance of the God-made law.” quote by Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/704/abul-a-la-maududi-51903_function_islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislatio_886.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
