Natural Rights and the Ninth Amendment: How Does Lockean Legal Theory Assist in Interpretation?

New York University Journal of Law & Liberty, Vol. 5, 2010

Stanford Public Law Working Paper No. 1675223

30 Pages Posted: 11 Sep 2010 Last revised: 17 Sep 2010

Date Written: September 10, 2010

Abstract

Some of the most contested questions for modern constitutional law stem from the decision of the First Congress to enumerate some – but necessarily not all – fundamental rights as part of our basic legal framework. Lockean social compact theory can help us to understand these provisions of the Constitution, and especially the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.

Keywords: Locke, Lockean, Ninth Amendment, Tenth Amendment, Natural Rights, Natural Law, Equitable Interpretation, Federalist and Anti-Federalists, Social Compact Theory

Suggested Citation

McConnell, Michael W., Natural Rights and the Ninth Amendment: How Does Lockean Legal Theory Assist in Interpretation? (September 10, 2010). New York University Journal of Law & Liberty, Vol. 5, 2010, Stanford Public Law Working Paper No. 1675223, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1675223 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1675223

Michael W. McConnell (Contact Author)

Stanford Law School ( email )

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