The Right to Property in Commonwealth Constitutions (Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law, Series Number 11)

This book examines constitutional rights to property in Commonwealth countries. It concentrates on the central issues of a right to property, such as the meaning of "property," and "adequate" or "fair" compensation. Many judges use comparative law to resolve constitutional cases. However, very few books have been written on comparative law in the Commonwealth. It also examines the historical background in the fundamental principles of the British constitution and the colonial system. The analysis is both practical and theoretical, and it will be useful to academic and practicing lawyers. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 5 Title......Page 7 Copyright......Page 8 Dedication......Page 9 Contents......Page 11 Table of cases......Page 13 Acknowledgements......Page 25 1 Introduction......Page 27 Outline of chapters......Page 29 Parliament and property......Page 39 Property rights and statutory interpretation......Page 42 Presumptions of interpretation and compensation......Page 43 Fundamental law and 'property'......Page 46 Statutory interpretation and the purpose of acquisition......Page 48 Fundamental law: recent developments......Page 50 The royal prerogative and property......Page 55 The extent of the prerogative......Page 56 Compensation and the prerogative......Page 58 The prerogatives in the colonies......Page 59 Conclusions......Page 61 Introduction......Page 62 Property rights in the colonies......Page 64 Australia......Page 65 Government of Ireland Act 1920......Page 67 Government of India Act 1935......Page 69 Constituent Assembly......Page 72 Amendments......Page 75 The European Convention on Human Rights......Page 80 Malaysia......Page 83 The Nigerian-model bills of rights......Page 84 The Nigerian property provisions......Page 86 Opening provisions......Page 88 'Property'......Page 89 'Taking possession' and 'acquisition' of property......Page 90 'Public purpose'......Page 91 Compensation......Page 92 Limitation clauses......Page 93 Canadian Bill of Rights and Trinidad and Tobago......Page 95 Namibia......Page 97 The interim constitution......Page 99 The final Constitution......Page 102 Other modern constitutions......Page 106 Conclusions......Page 107 Introduction......Page 109 Legalism and constitutional interpretation......Page 111 Types of legalism......Page 112 Challenges to legalism......Page 115 Alternatives to legalism: the constitution as a sui generis instrument......Page 121 Historical interpretation......Page 124 Constitutional structure and interpretation......Page 131 Interpretation and ethical values......Page 135 Conflicts in methods of interpretation......Page 138 5 The meaning of property......Page 145 The plain meaning of property: 'ordinary' property and 'legal' property......Page 146 'Legal' property and property interests......Page 148 Regulation......Page 151 Possession......Page 154 Transferability......Page 160 Wealth as property: the economic value of rights......Page 165 Possession and transferability as liberal values......Page 169 Corporate property......Page 173 Customary interests in land......Page 177 Social welfare benefits......Page 179 Conclusions......Page 187 Introduction......Page 188 The reasons for the interference......Page 189 The police power and the motive for state action......Page 205 Rationality and proportionality......Page 211 General limitation clauses: Namibia and South Africa......Page 218 Proportionality as the overarching principle......Page 220 Conclusions......Page 225 7 Public purpose......Page 227 The redistribution problem......Page 229 The holdout problem......Page 238 Conclusions......Page 247 Constitutional law and compensation standards......Page 249 Full compensation for loss......Page 250 Proportionality and compensation......Page 266 South Africa: 'just and equitable' compensation......Page 273 Other provisions on compensation......Page 276 Conclusions......Page 277 Bibliography......Page 279 Index......Page 289 The right to property is an important part of most Commonwealth constitutions. This book examines the evolution of right to property and the changing trends in their interpretation by the courts. A number of specific issues are examined closely: • Which interests are constitutionally protected as'property'? • When does the regulation of property amount to an acquisition of property? • Are there limits on the purposes for which states may take the property of their subjects? • What are the rules regarding compensation for property? The analysis is both practical and theoretical, and it should be useful to both academic and practising lawyers. The right to property is an important part of most Commonwealth constitutions. This book examines the evolution of right to property and the changing trends in their interpretation by the courts. A number of specific issues are examined closely: " Which interests are constitutionally protected as 'property'? " When does the regulation of property amount to an acquisition of property? " Are there limits on the purposes for which states may take the property of their subjects? " What are the rules regarding compensation for property? The analysis is both practical and theoretical, and it should be useful to both academic and practising lawyers "This book examines constitutional rights to property in Commonwealth countries. It is organized thematically around the central questions of a right to property: What do judges understand by 'taking of property' or an 'acquisition of property'? For which purposes may the state acquire property compulsorily? And what must it provide in the way of compensation? It also examines the historical background of rights to property in the fundamental principles of the British constitution and the colonial system, as well as the evolution of written rights to property in the twentieth century."--BOOK JACKET First book to examine constitutional rights to property in Commonwealth countries. Although many Commonwealth judges use comparative law in resolving constitutional cases, very few books have been written on comparative law in the Commonwealth. This book presents both practical and theoretical analyses, together with the historical background