"A Revolution which seeks to abolish law, must end necessarily in despotism": Louisa McCord And Antebellum Southern Legal Thought

Authors

Alfred L. Brophy, Oklahoma City University

Abstract

Louisa McCord's essays provide a unique lens into the legal and political thought of antebellum Southern society, particularly her defense of slavery and the role of law in maintaining social order. She argued that law should ensure basic fairness in market transactions but should not interfere with the institution of slavery, which she viewed as a matter of sentiment rather than legal regulation. McCord's work challenges the notion that legal history is confined to the common law tradition, emphasizing the importance of understanding law as part of a broader societal outlook.

Disciplines

Constitutional Law | Jurisprudence | Law | Law and Gender | Law and Race | Legal History | Legislation

Recommended Citation

Alfred L. Brophy, "A Revolution which seeks to abolish law, must end necessarily in despotism": Louisa McCord And Antebellum Southern Legal Thought, 5 Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just. 33 (1998).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol5/iss1/4