{"product_id":"the-dead-hands-grip-brown-9780197655283","title":"The Dead Hand's Grip: How Long Constitutions Bind States","description":"In \u003cem\u003eThe Dead Hand's Grip\u003c\/em\u003e, Adam R. Brown examines constitutional specificity--or length--as a new way to evaluate how different polities govern citizens and regulate themselves. As Brown shows, many states and nations bloat their constitutions with procedural and policy details that other polities leave to statutory or regulatory discretion. American state constitutions vary in length from under 9,000 to almost 400,000 words. Constitutional endurance has often provoked fears that the dead hand of the past may reach into the present; lengthy constitutions strengthen the dead hand's grip, binding states to a former generation's solutions to modern problems. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBrown argues that excessive constitutional specificity restricts state discretion, with three major results. First, it compels states to rely more frequently on burdensome amendment procedures, increasing constitutional amendment rates. Second, it increases judicial invalidation rates as state supreme courts enforce narrower limits on state action. Third and most importantly, it results in severely reduced economic performance, with lower incomes, higher unemployment, greater inequality, and reduced policy innovativeness generally. In short, long constitutions hurt states. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhile Brown's analysis focuses on just one set of sub-national constitutions, their broad functions make his thesis relevant to those wanting to understand institutional variation between nations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Adam R. Brown\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0197655289\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780197655283\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/27\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 192\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.96lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.37h x 6.38w x 0.71d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2023","brand":"Adam R. Brown","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44077873922303,"sku":"9780197655283","price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_34626876-4bd5-4dd3-bca1-54718ed6191a.jpg?v=1685472248","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-dead-hands-grip-brown-9780197655283","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}