The Politics of European Codification; A History of the Unification of Law in France, Prussia, the Austrian Monarchy and the Netherlands

Author: Dr. Peter A.J. van den Berg, University of Groningen, 2007, 325p. Binding: hardback. ISBN: 978-90-76871-48-6. Price: €68, $106. Language: English.

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About the book

European codification of private law is talk of the day. The European Parliament favours it, the European Commission supports it and many legal scholars are already working on it. Why? This book addresses the forthcoming European codification from the perspective of previous codifications and their origin. 

Several current codifications, such as the French Code civil and the Austrian ABGB, found their origin in what can be referred to as ‘State formation’. As uniformity was perceived to be crucial for the formation of a modern state, unification of law became an important goal. Codification was an excellent means to achieve this goal. The very essence of these codifications served to establish the central government as the legislative authority throughout its territory. 

Historical enquiry of these processes of codification reveals elements and arguments that are reminiscent of those encountered in the current endeavours to achieve a European codification of private law. Thence, an understanding of their history may be essential to the understanding of the current political processes in European codification.

About the author

Peter A.J. van den Berg graduated in law and in history from the University of Groningen. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Legal Method and History of that university. His recent publications are on the project of a European codification of private law, citizenship and the draft European constitution. He gives courses in legal method and in comparative law.

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Book review

Randall Lesaffer (Tilburg/Leuven) in 44 CML Rev. 2007/6, 1844-1845: " [...] Van den Berg’s sound and informative historical study is relevant to the current debate on the unification of private law in Europe."