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Häberle, Peter --- "A constitutional law for future generations - the 'other' form of the sociak contract: the generation contract" [2006] ELECD 488; in Tremmel, Chet Joerg (ed), "Handbook of Intergenerational Justice" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2006)

Book Title: Handbook of Intergenerational Justice

Editor(s): Tremmel, Chet Joerg

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781845429003

Section: Chapter 11

Section Title: A constitutional law for future generations - the 'other' form of the sociak contract: the generation contract

Author(s): Häberle, Peter

Extract:

11 A constitutional law for future
generations ­ the `other' form of the social
contract: the generation contract
Peter Häberle


Problem and relevance of the topic
The central issue of the generation contract as `another form' of the social
contract must be examined in the context of the depth of constitution theory
and within the scope of the problem of `time'. By 1983 national debt and dis-
posal of radioactive waste were already indicated in the horizon of the gen-
erations as problem areas of time and constitution culture (Häberle 1983a,
p. 289, 1983b, p. 382; Hofmann 1981, p. 258 et seq.). Switzerland followed
the predominant draft of P. Saladin and A. Zenger: `Rechte künftiger
Generationen' [Rights for future generations] (1988), and since then the topic
has gained relevance in many fields (Pernthaler 1996, p. 271 et seq.; Haverkate
1992, pp. 249­252). An essay about `Gerechtigkeit zwischen Generationen'
[Justice between generations] (Kleger 1986, p. 147 et seq., see also Buchholz
1984) was published in 1989. Later a minister of the French government, A.
Juppé (1995), supported `solidarity between the generations'; in the same year
a book was released concerning `Gerechtigkeit zwischen den Generationen'
[Justice between generations] (Brumlik 1995, see also Lawrence 1989). In con-
trast, we also read, `Droht ein Krieg der Generationen?' [Will there be a war
of generations?] (Stephan 1995). Furthermore, one should remember the dis-
cussion in the USA on a (failed) amendment to limit the national debt (1995);
or the global environmental controversy. ...