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Article: The gavel and the robe.(the history of judicial review in democratic nations)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- August 7, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Established and emerging democracies display a puzzling taste in common: both have handed increasing amounts of power to unelected judges. The fourth article in our series on changes in the mature democracies examines the remarkable growth and many different forms of judicial review
TO SOME they are unaccountable elitists, old men (and the rare woman) in robes who meddle in politics where they do not belong, thwarting the will of the people. To others they are bulwarks of liberty, champions of the individual against abuses of power by scheming politicians, arrogant bureaucrats and the emotional excesses of transient majorities.
Judges who sit on supreme ...