The Many Concepts of Social Justice in European Private Law * by Hans-W. Micklitz (ed)

Abstract

‘Anyone writing about justice must not only grapple with the complexities and difficulties raised by different conceptions of justice, and weigh arguments for and against competing conceptions, but also assert and uphold a stance as to the very concept of justice—that is, as to the demarcation of the sphere of consideration where the words “just” or “unjust” are relevant,’ Wojciech Sadurski observes in his contribution to this volume. If I were to raise a point of criticism on the book already at the outset of this review, it would be that its title, broad as it is, still seems to be too modest: in line with Sadurski’s insightful remark, the papers collected in The Many Concepts of Social Justice in European Private Law address what ‘social justice’ is about in European private law (ie the conceptual demarcation) as well as what is required by social justice in this field (ie conceptions of social justice).