View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Kentucky Kentucky Law Journal Volume 86 | Issue 1 Article 2 1997 Republicanism, Liberalism, and the Law Mortimer Sellers University of Baltimore Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/klj Part of the Law and Society Commons Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits you. Recommended Citation Sellers, Mortimer (1997) "Republicanism, Liberalism, and the Law," Kentucky Law Journal: Vol. 86 : Iss. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/klj/vol86/iss1/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Kentucky Law Journal by an authorized editor of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. KENTUCKY LAW JOURNAL VOLUME 86 1997-98 NUMBER 1 ARTICLE Republicanism, Liberalism, and the Law BY MORTIMER SELLERS* INTRODUCTION "[A] republic signiffies] only a government, m which all men, rich and poor, magistrates and subjects, officers andpeople, masters and servants, the first citizen and the last, are equally subject to the laws. [I]t signifie[s] a government, m which the property of the public, or people, and of every one of them, [is] secured and protected by law. This idea implies liberty; that the property and liberty of all men, not merely of a majority, should be safe; for the people, or public, comprehends more than a majority, it comprehends all and every individual; and the property of every citizen is a part of the public property, as each citizen is a part of the public, people, or community." John Adams' * Professor of Law and Director of the Center for International and Comparative Law, Umversity of Baltimore School of Law.