I gruppi sociali fra politica e diritto. Problemi giuridici nel pluralismo di F. Maitland, J. Figgis e H. Laski

This paper enquires into the legal theses in the works of English political pluralists like F. W. Maitland, J. N. Figgis, and H. J. Laski. After a brief outline of the epistemic “horizon” of legal pluralism, I will try to understand the tradition of British pluralism in the light of the doctrinal debate on law and society that took place in Europe in the early 20th century. I will show, in particular, that these British political theorists promoted a pluralistic conception of the “juridical” drawing attention to the normative powers of social groups such as churches and trade unions, whose “rules” might conflict with – and prevail over – those issued by the state