Completed in 1964, Harold J. Berman's long-lost tract

Shows how properly negotiated, translated and formalised legal language is essential to fostering peace and understanding within local and international communities. Exemplifying interdisciplinary and comparative legal scholarship long before they were fashionable, it is a fascinating prequel to Berman's monumental Law and Revolution series. It also anticipates many of the main themes of the modern movements of law, language and ethics.

Introduction by John Witte, Jr

Contextualises the text within the development of Berman's legal thought and in the evolution of interdisciplinary legal studies. He has also pieced together some of the missing sections from Berman's other early writings and provided notes and critical apparatus throughout.

Afterword by Tibor Várady

Illustrates via modern cases the wisdom and utility of Berman's theories of law, language and community.