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Borowski, Martin --- "Radbruchs formula and human rights" [2019] ELECD 1806; in La Torre, Massimo; Niglia, Leone; Susi, Mart (eds), "The Quest for Rights" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019) 27

Book Title: The Quest for Rights

Editor(s): La Torre, Massimo; Niglia, Leone; Susi, Mart

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Section: Chapter 3

Section Title: Radbruchs formula and human rights

Author(s): Borowski, Martin

Number of pages: 22

Abstract/Description:

The obvious candidate for a severe moral defect that may render positive law invalid is a qualified violation of human rights, which form the core of justice. This chapter undertakes an analysis of the role of human rights for Gustav Radbruch’s concept of law. It is well known that human rights are explicitly mentioned in his post-War writings, albeit only in passing. His earlier writings implicitly comprise, however, human rights standards, in particular a prohibition of discrimination in his substantive concept of law. This is to say that human rights in the post-War writings are less of an innovation than many commentators would have us believe. Against this backdrop, the prevailing subjective reading of the disavowal formula, the neglected second part of the greater Radbruch formula, proves less than convincing. An objective reading of the disavowal formula emerges, which allows for a coherent reading of the greater Radbruch formula.