About the Institute
The LawCom.Institute is committed to the rule of law and democracy.
We inform, we educate, we think ahead, we engage, we train. As citizens of a democratic constitutional state we are outward looking, and we share an acute awareness of other regions and systems in the world. Our expertise are law, politics and communication.
Why a LawCom Institute?
All of us share the conviction that a democratic constitutional state is ideally suited to provide for a fair and good future, both nationally and internationally.
With our project we want to actively promote democracy and the rule of law:
- We encourage international communication on the importance of democratic rule of law, and we strengthen all those all over the world already engaged in the democratic process and the rule of law.
- We stand for justice, social and economic stability, against corruption, dictatorships and autocracies.
- We want to mobilise supporters and multipliers.
- We want to promote the democratic rule of law.
- We develop concepts and strategies to tackle the challenges, both historic and current, faced by the constitutional state.
We are convinced that a properly functioning democratic constitutional state is the guarantor of social and economic stability.
Rule of law is vital in any society
For any state to be governed and function properly it has to rely on structures upheld by the rule of law.
Time and again in history corruption, oppression and the absence of democratic rule haven been the cause of the economic decline of states, widespread poverty among the population and the rise of egotistic elites.
The rule of law concerns us all
The democratic constitutional state provides the framework for numerous sectors of society and thus for each and every one of us:
- Economy
- Public administration
- Healthcare
- Environment
- Science
- Art and culture
- Media and the public
Our approach
These, in our view, are some of the core elements of the democratic constitutional state:
- In addition to the division of powers along with an independent judiciary, the law as an essential steering mechanism of social action requires democratic legitimisation!
- The law safeguards and guarantees the democratic process, e.g. through freedom of expression and assembly!
- Transparent, fair and reliable communication is indispensable for law-making and the application of the law, for dispute resolution and the democratic process.
We distinguish – quite deliberately – between Rule of Law and:
- Rule by Law, i.e. the use of law solely as an instrument to enforce and secure power without democratic legitimation;
- Rule by AI, i.e. the regulation and steering of social processes by Artificial Intelligence without democratic legitimation and effective legal protection;
- so-called illiberal democracy;
- so-called expert democracy.
The definitive conceptualization and expression of the rule of law in any given state depend – among other things – on the state’s origin, its history, legal/cultural traditions, customs and religions.
The correlation between law in the normative sense (Law) and generally recognised ethical principles of behaviour (Soft Law) is thus also to be taken into account.
It follows from the above that our Institute for the Promotion of the Democratic Rule of Law will require a holistic approach which takes into account the inseparable link between democracy and the rule of law, the link between law and communication, the various elements of society affected by the rule of law as well as international communication on the importance of democratic rule of law in the relevant countries and regions.
Hamburg is the perfect location for the LawCom.Institute
Hamburg is predestined as the ideal location:
- Hamburg: gateway to the world, open and international in outlook
- Hamburg: international crossroads and meeting place, home to more than 90 consulates
- Hamburg: seat of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and other international arbitration organisations
- Hamburg: a city of jurisprudence (public and private)
- Hamburg: a hotspot of culture
In addition Hamburg is home to a long established institution which since its founding has been pro-actively engaged in developing the concepts of the rule of law and democracy, communicating them on a regional, national and international level: Rechtsstandort Hamburg e.V.