Wann muss der Herrscher schweigen? Zur Behandlung königlicher Machtsprüche in der Preußischen Rechtsreform. Beiträge zur Rechtsgeschichte Österreichs|Beiträge zur Rechtsgeschichte Österreichs Band 2 / 2013 recht [durch] setzen / Making Things Legal Gesetzgebung und prozessuale Wirklichkeit in den europäischen Rechtstraditionen|

Résumé 0

The present paper shall provide an analysis of the discourse regarding Machtsprüche (‘dictums’) in the elaboration of the codification of the Prussian private law – the “Allgemeines Landrecht für die Preußischen Staaten” – towards the end of the 18th century. A Machtspruch consisted of an authoritative decision by the monarch through which he could intervene in on-going judicial proceedings in civil law matters either by giving a ruling himself or by instructing the court to come to a certain decision. In Prussia the question arose of whether Machtsprüche should be forbidden by law. The paper will reflect the positions of King Frederick II., King Frederick William II., high-ranking Prussian civil servants, and legal reformists in this discourse. It will show that the discourse concerning this question is in a way a continuation of the dichotomy between power on the one hand and law on the other, that was typical of Enlightened Absolutism.