"Legal Medievalism in Lex Mercatoria Scholarship" by Ralf Michaels
 

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Keywords

law merchant, lex mercatoria, Middle Ages, customary law

Abstract

This short reaction piece to an article by Emily Kadens asks why a long-refuted story of an alleged uniform medieval lex mercatoria is still being maintained. The answer is that the story serves not as an actual history but instead as a foundation myth. Attempts to falsify the myth with historical data are therefore futile: the myth derives its value not from its truth value but from its symbolic power.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Law merchant, Middle Ages, Lex mercatoria, Customary law

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