"This book, based on the Tanner Lectures on Human Values that Justice Stephen Breyer delivered at Harvard University in November 2004, defines the term "active liberty" as a sharing of the nation's sovereign authority with its citizens. Regarding the Constitution as a guide for the application of basic American principles to a living and changing society rather than as an arsenal of rigid legal means for binding and restricting it, Justice Breyer argues that the genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but in the adaptability of its great principles to cope with current problems." "Giving us examples of this approach in the areas of free speech, federalism, privacy, affirmative action, statutory interpretation, and administrative law, Justice Breyer states that courts should take greater account of the Constitution's democratic nature when they interpret constitutional and statutory texts."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-149) and index.

The theme : active liberty The theme considered ...as falling within an interpretive tradition ...and consistent with the Constitution's history Applications Speech Federalism

Privacy Affirmative action Statutory interpretation Administrative law Recapitulation A serious objection.