We the People: A Progressive Reading of the Constitution for the Twenty-First Century

The author and dean of constitutional law offers framework for understanding the US Constitution and the current threats facing democracy.

Worried about what a super conservative majority on the Supreme Court means for the future of civil liberties? From gun control to reproductive health, a conservative court will reshape the lives of all Americans for decades to come. The time to develop and defend a progressive vision of the US Constitution that protects the rights of all people is now.

University of California Berkeley Dean and respected legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky expertly exposes how conservatives are using the Constitution to advance their own agenda that favors business over consumers and employees, and government power over individual rights.

But exposure is not enough. Progressives have spent too much of the last forty-five years trying to preserve the legacy of the Warren Court’s most important rulings and reacting to the Republican-dominated Supreme Courts by criticizing their erosion of rights—but have not yet developed a progressive vision for the Constitution itself. Yet, if we just look to the promise of the Preamble—liberty and justice for all—and take seriously its vision, a progressive reading of the Constitution can lead us forward as we continue our fight ensuring democratic rule, effective government, justice, liberty, and equality.

Includes the Complete Constitution and Amendments of the United States of America

Praise for We the People

Paste Magazine’s 10 Best Books of November

“This work will become the defining text on progressive constitutionalism—a parallel to Thomas Picketty’s contribution but for all who care deeply about constitutional law. Beautifully written and powerfully argued, this is a masterpiece.” —Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law School, and author of Free Culture

“Thank heaven for Erwin Chemerinsky. . . . His latest book, We the People, really is his finest work. . . . Clear and concise. . . . This book could not have come at a better time. It is a life preserver for those who feel adrift in the uncharted waters of the Trump era.” —Laurie L. Levenson, Los Angeles Review of Books

“Chemerinsky . . . pulls no punches. . . . [His] rock-solid arguments are rooted in history, in a profound progressive philosophy.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

© 2024 Picador (Ebook): 9781250165992

Release date

Ebook: 4 June 2024