Abstract
In this short presentation Western legal systems are seen in a holistic perspective as complex systems in which each traditional partition is constantly in relation with (and influenced by) the other parts. At the same time all legal systems are placed in a global context with which they are in osmosis. The work suggests that the traditional civil law/common law divide and “legal families” grouping are obsolete. The volume is aimed at introductory courses to Comparative Law and Comparative Legal Systems and is subdivided in nine chapters devoted to: 1. Democratic Systems. 2. Values. 3. Government. 4. The Economic Dimension. 5. The ‘Welfare State’. 6. Repression of Crimes. 7. Judges and Jurisdiction. 8. Models for a Globalized World . 9. Conclusions: Graveyards and New Paths.
