Before Eminent Domain: Toward a History of Expropriation of Land for the Common Good (Studies in Legal History)

In this concise history of expropriation of land for the common good in Europe and North America from medieval times to 1800, Susan Reynolds contextualizes the history of an important legal doctrine regarding the relationship between government and the institution of private property. Before Eminent Domain concentrates on western Europe and the English colonies in America. As Reynolds argues, expropriation was a common legal practice in many societies in which individuals had rights to land. It was generally accepted that land could be taken from them, with compensation, when the community, however defined, needed it. She cites examples of the practice since the early Middle Ages in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and from the seventeenth century in America. Reynolds concludes with a discussion of past and present ideas and assumptions about community, individual rights, and individual property that underlie the practice of expropriation but have been largely ignored by historians of both political and legal thought. --Publisher description Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 1.1 The Problem of Origins......Page 12 1.2 Historians and Expropriation......Page 18 1.3 The Evidence......Page 20 1.4 The Plan and Scope of the Book......Page 22 2.1 Ancient Greece and Rome......Page 26 2.2 The Problem of Evidence in the Early Middle Ages......Page 27 2.3 Church Property......Page 30 2.4 Fortifications......Page 35 2.5 Other Probable Expropriations......Page 38 2.6 Unjust Expropriations......Page 40 2.7 Conclusion......Page 42 3.1 The Plan of the Chapter......Page 44 3.2 England......Page 45 3.3 Italy......Page 57 3.4 France......Page 65 3.5 Germany......Page 76 3.6 Spain......Page 83 3.7 The English Colonies in America......Page 88 3.8 Conclusion......Page 94 4.1 The Problem......Page 96 4.2 Before Grotius......Page 97 4.3 Grotius and After......Page 105 4.4 Conclusion......Page 119 5.1 The Problem......Page 122 5.2.1 Before Grotius: Communities......Page 123 5.2.2 Before Grotius: Individuals......Page 134 5.2.3 Before Grotius: Property......Page 138 5.3 Grotius and After......Page 141 5.4 Conclusion......Page 149 Works Cited......Page 152 B......Page 180 E......Page 181 H......Page 182 L......Page 183 P......Page 184 S......Page 185 Z......Page 186

In this concise history of expropriation of land for the common good in Europe and North America from medieval times to 1800, Susan Reynolds contextualizes the history of an important legal doctrine regarding the relationship between government and the institution of private property.

Before Eminent Domain concentrates on western Europe and the English colonies in America. As Reynolds argues, expropriation was a common legal practice in many societies in which individuals had rights to land. It was generally accepted that land could be taken from them, with compensation, when the community, however defined, needed it. She cites examples of the practice since the early Middle Ages in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and from the seventeenth century in America.

Reynolds concludes with a discussion of past and present ideas and assumptions about community, individual rights, and individual property that underlie the practice of expropriation but have been largely ignored by historians of both political and legal thought.

Western Europe before 1100 Western Europe and British North America, 1100-1800 Justifications and discussions Communities, individuals, and property.